Global Meteor Network - User contributions [en]

Build A Camera

2022-09-13T03:31:58Z

TasmanSkies: changed PoE Injector listing on AE

= Parts and Tools needed =
[[File:01_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|Annotated Parts List]]

Click on the image to the right to see a larger version with the parts labelled

# IMX291 sensor board
# Lens with the lens holder - 4mm, 6mm are M16 mount as pictured, while other lenses might be CS which have a different holder
# 2x M2 screws, 6mm long - for mounting lens holder
# Camera housing
# Small cable gland (supplied with the housing)
# Large cable gland (supplied with the housing)
# Camera Power over Ethernet (PoE) cable (sometimes called a network cable by the sellers)
# Camera board holder (supplied with the housing)
# Holder metal plate (supplied with the housing)
# 4x M2 screws, 12 mm long - for mounting camera module to bracket
# 1x M3-.50 screw, 6mm long - for mounting camera module L-bracket to base plate
# Metal plate screws (supplied with the housing)
# Transparent weatherproof silicone
# Housing mounting bracket (supplied with the housing)
# Waterproof ethernet cable protector
# PoE injector to supply 48v to the camera (not shown)
# Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 2GB (or at least a 3B+ with 2GB) with official power supply (not shown)
# Raspberry Pi housing (not shown)
# 128 GB or greater microSD card (not shown)
# Self-amalgamating tape (not shown)

== Purchasing Parts ==
For consistency across the network and to make collaborative support possible, it is recommended that the camera and lenses listed below are used in preference to random handy bits that are cobbled together. The selected components are proven and known to work well. Other components can be sourced from any convenient seller.

Many components such as the Pi and microSD cards are are readily available in most locations. For other items such as lens, camera and housing, AliExpress - the Chinese equivalent of eBay - is the preferred online source as it serves most of the globe and has been reliably suppling parts to date.

NB: Links are given to current sellers, but stock levels vary and if the link is dead or the seller is out of stock, you should be able to find an equivalent from another seller on AliExpress.

=== Sensor ===
The bare IP security camera featuring a Sony IMX291 has been selected for the RMS system. This is available from many sellers on AliExpress. Out of the options offered, choose "With 48V POE cable" and "No lens":
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002315913099.html IVG-HP203Y-AE]
Always buy a lens separately from the list in the following section.

=== Lens ===
Most cameras available on Aliexpress come with a choice of lenses. The preferred lens is a 4mm f/0.95 M16 lens providing ~88x45° field of view, which can also be bought separately for example via this link.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32876034491.html 4mm f/0.95 M16]

If you live in an area with heavy light pollution, other options are available. We wholeheartedly recommend only using lenses from the following list, as others might not be as sensitive or might have large distortion. See [[Lens Options|this page]] for more lens options.

=== Housing ===
A security camera housing is used, providing weather-tight protection without distortion introduced by plastic domes. From the options offered, select "Plate and Bracket" to get a plate for mounting a 38x38mm bare IP camera module, and an L-shaped mounting bracket.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32355130687.html IP66 CCTV Camera Housing with Plate and Bracket] This will also provide a pair of cable glands and some essential screws.

=== Power Over Ethernet Injector ===
This connects by network cables to both the Raspberry Pi and the camera sensor, and injects 48V DC onto the network cable to the camera to supply it with power. Pick a suitable plug style for your location from the options offered. An example unit is:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002704227705.html PoE Injector 48V 0.5A]

Note that over short lengths of up to about 5m you can also use plain PoE connectors. These simply feed 12V from a power supply into the ethernet and extract it at the other end. Over short distances this will supply the camera with adequate power without the need for 48V injectors.

Finally, if you are operating several cameras, you can use a PoE switch instead of a PoE injector.

=== Cooled Housing for Raspberry Pi ===
This is one of the rare cases that fulfills our needs. It has a fan which is relatively quiet, it’s sturdy, and it can fit the RTC with the addition of riser pins. '''Please buy this case''', we have tried many others, but they are not as good. From the options offered, make sure you select one that says "for Pi 4" if you are using a Raspberry Pi 4, or "for Pi 3B Plus" if you are using a Raspbery Pi 3B+. Additionally there is a case variation that is fully enclosed and has no fans; do not select this option.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32959825297.html Raspberry Pi Aluminium Enclosure with fans]

=== Real Time Clock for Raspberry Pi ===
[[File:rtc.jpg|thumb|RTC installation|200px]]

Very precise timing is essential to processing the meteor data, so unless you are confident in your internet connection an RTC module ensures the Raspberry Pi always has the precise time, even when power or internet is unreliable. AliExpress sells a pack of 10 but they are inexpensive - maybe share the extras among other camera constructors in your area. The AliExpress store lists two RTC modules, one labelled "DS3231 module" and the other "mini DS3231 module." Select the "mini DS3231 module" option; it is designed for the Raspberry Pi. It has 5 pins and includes a battery.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32770348851.html DS3231 RTC]

Once you plug it into the Pi (see image on the right) and make sure the current time is correct on the Pi, open the terminal and run:

<pre>
sudo hwclock -w
</pre>

This will set the current computer time to the RTC. Every time the Pi boots up, it will read the correct time from the RTC.

=== Pin Headers ===
Required to raise the height of the Raspberry GPIO bins to allow the RTC to sit proud of the Raspberry Pi case. You only need 1 but the pack of 20 is available for only a dollar or so.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32549850046.html Tall header pins]

=== Network cabling ===
You will need two lengths of network cabling, one (probably quite short) between the Raspberry Pi and the PoE injector and the other between the PoE injector and the camera. You can purchase suitable lengths locally or on AliExpress. Some people have found the following thin flat network cable to be useful for sneaking the wire through a window or door to avoid drilling holes in walls or eaves, although it will require some extra attention to seal the cable at the camera's PoE connector:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002311509668.html Cat6 Flat Ethernet Cable]

=== Waterproof Cable Connector ===
One end of the network cable will be outside, connected into the PoE cable from the camera. This is not only carrying data but 48V DC power and needs to be kept sealed. This waterproof connector is fitted over the end of the network cable connector then after the network cable is plugged into the camera's PoE cable, the connector is locked into the end of the PoE cable. For extra weatherproofing, wrap in self-amalgamating tape.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32834472563.html RJ45 Waterproof Connector Cap]

=== 128GB Micro SD Card ===
You need at least a 64GB card but a 128GB is recommended as 20+ GB of data is collected every night. Make sure it is a fast card eg Class 10 UHS-1 or better. A card can either be purchased locally or [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32676225311.html from AliExpress]. Be warned that there is an [https://photographylife.com/fake-memory-cards ongoing problem with the production and sale of fraudulent memory cards misreporting the available storage] and even supplies from a reputable outlet can be affected - test the card you purchase. The AliExpress link has been used successfully to obtain suitable micro SD cards. If you live in North America, buy your SD cards at Costco.

=== Raspberry Pi 4 ===
These are likely to be available to be purchased locally or from a domestic online source. You need at least a 2GB RAM model. The Raspberry Pi Model 4B is now the minimum spec. Previously, a Raspberry Pi Model 3B+ was considered the minimum but these do not have the performance or memory to handle busy meteor showers. Purchase the official 5.1V 3A 15.3W power supply to go with it - most problems with Raspberry Pi units are due to inadequate power supplies being used instead of purchasing the official power pack. Note: to connect a RPi 4B to a monitor you will also need a micro-HDMI cable, so that might be necessary to add to the shopping cart also.

=== Additional items and tools ===
* Source suitable M2 and M3 screws. It might be possible to find these locally but in some places they are just odd enough to be quite hard to find. You could order some hardware from the [https://www.aliexpress.com/store/4714020?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000007.1.5fc666d9tN1f8i ScrewHome Store] on AliExpress. Each [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32981714992.html?spm=a2g0o.store_pc_groupList.8148356.10.be65539dLjPgfh packet of 50 M2x6mm, M2x12mm, and M3x6mm] machine screws will cost only a few dollars.
* A tube of silicone sealant is used to seal the glass window for the housing and the front screws in the housing.
* Self-amalgamating tape can be used to wrap and seal the cable connector(s) to ensure they remain weathertight in all conditions.
* Tools such as small wire cutters or a sharp knife, various sized screwdrivers, a drill and screws to mount the camera bracket will be required.

Deprecated shopping list: [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XBSdrkwrOGPONIn5PBJ7YzH2vr7pUIxW3l8S62BQXEQ/edit LINK]

Some cameras come with a slightly different cable with a separate 12V socket for power input as shown [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/images/d/dc/Alternatecable.jpg here].
If the power input port has a small cap, then you can just cover it and use the PoE on the ethernet port. If it's open, then you will need a pair of PoE adapters (seen in that picture in the background).

To test and focus the camera you will need VLC. This software is preinstalled on the Pi but is also available for Mac, Windows or Linux from [https://www.videolan.org/vlc/ here].

= Assembly =
[Note: there's a longer version of the camera assembly section of this page available on Google Docs. Please refer to [https://docs.google.com/document/d/18TT-Jm7z9kYskl5ua07jQWD91OiyBemBnOosiNdW6nY/edit?usp=sharing this] if you need more information.]

<table><tr><td>
== Preparing the Lens ==
[[File:Irblock.jpg|thumb|right|single filter: punch out the filter]]
* Start by removing protective covers from the sensor and lens. Take care not to touch the sensor after this is removed.

* The cameras come with an IR Block filter in the lens holder. We don't want this.

'''Lens holder with single filter'''
* If you have a lens like the one shown in the first image, unscrew the lens from the holder.
* Then using a screwdriver, carefully push the filter out of the lens holder as shown in the image on the right. If you push from the front, the filter may come out intact.
* If it shatters, make sure there are no shards left.

'''Lens holder with electronic filter drawer'''
* Some lenses come an electronic day/night filter drawer. These have a small cable to plug into the camera board. Two different types of these filter holders are shown here.
[[File:lensholders2.jpg|thumb|right|Two sorts of lens holder with day/night filters]]

* DO NOT try to punch out the filter directly as this may jam the mechanism or leave shards of glass inside.
* If your holder is the type with a rectangular sliding drawer, remove the drawer by undoing the screw on the end. Then remove the while filter glass entirely.
[[File:slidedrawer.jpg|thumb|right|Sliding type: Remove the filter entirely]]

* If your holder is the other type, undo the three small screws on the top and take off the cover. Then remove the clear filter. You can leave the reddish daylight filter.
[[File:rotatingfilter.jpg|thumb|right|Rotating type: Remove just the clear filter]]

* Now reassemble the filter holder. Do not connect the power cable to the camera.

* Next look on the underside of the lens holder where you will see two plastic nubbins. These get in the way, so using the wire cutters snip them off. Make sure you get the base completely flat.

* Then screw the lens back into the lens holder.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Attaching the Lens to the Camera ==
[[File:lensattaching.jpg|thumb|right|Attaching the Lens]]

* Carefully unclip the circuit board from the plastic holder but do not detach the ribbon cable.

* Using the supplied screws, attach the lens to the sensor.

* Replace the circuit board in the plastic holder.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Preparing the Camera Housing =
[[File:glands.jpg|thumb|right|Glands in Place]]
* Fit the small cable gland to the housing and pass the loose ends of the Camera PoE cable up through, but don't tighten it up yet. Remember to slip the cap over the cable first!

* Fit the large cable gland in the other opening, and push a piece of plastic packing foam into it. Don't seal it up completely though this is to keep insects from getting in, but allow moisture out.

* We do not recommend that you put the whole cable inside the housing, as the LEDs on it will create light pollution inside the housing.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>
== Attaching the Camera ==
[[File:camerafitted.jpg|thumb|right|Camera In Mount]]

'''Note: I recommend installing the camera in the housing at this point so that you do not have to detach the cables or risk knocking focus later on. However, you can proceed to test focus etc before installing the camera in the housing if you wish.''' If you prefer to do that, skip this section for now and come back later. Otherwise:

* Connect the metal camera holder to the metal plate using one 6mm M3 screw. Note the orientation of the plate as shown in the photo.

* Using three 12 mm M2 screws, connect the camera board to the metal holder, passing the lens through the square hole from the back.

* Note that on some camera models, the writing on the camera board or image of a stick man must be UPSIDE DOWN to get the correct orientation of the camera. In this orientation, the sockets for power and networking will be at the bottom of the rear of the camera board. To be sure you have it the right way up, see advice in the section on Testing and Focusing.

* Finally, remove the plastic cap on the lens.
See image for the proper camera board orientation, so the video is not sideways or upside down.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Installing the Camera in the Housing ==
[[File:camerainhousing.jpg|thumb|right|Camera In Housing]]

* Remove the plastic plate from inside the housing and discard it.

* Fit the camera on its metal plate into the housing, as close to the front glass as you can get it without actually touching. A few millimetres away should be good.

* Looking at the camera from the rear, attach the largest connector (often with blue/green wires) to the right hand socket.

* Attach the power connector to the left hand socket. This connector has several pins but only two are connected (red/black).

* The third connector (two pins, red/black) is for a powered lens and is not used so tape it back out of the way.

* Once you've secured the camera in position, you can tighten up the cable glands.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Testing and Focusing =
At this point, your camera must be tested and focused. There's no point sealing up the housing and screwing it to the wall if its not working or isn't focused !

== Testing the Camera ==
* If your camera came with a single PoE cable, connect this to a netork cable and plug the other end of the network cable into your PoE injector.

* if your camera came with a cable with separate network and power sockets, plug the "output" PoE adapter into the camera cable and plug a network cable into the PoE adapter, then connect the other end of the network cable into the other PoE adapter.
*. Connect the PoE adapter or injector into a spare socket on your home router and connect the camera power supply to it.

The Camera PoE cable lights should come on, indicating traffic is flowing. After a few seconds, it should steady down to irregular flashing. If you don't see flashing lights then check the cable connections to make sure everything is plugged in properly.

=== Find its IP Address ===
[[File:ip-scan.jpg|thumb|right|Finding the Camera Address]]
The camera should now appear as a device on your network and to test it properly you will need to find its IP Address. The easiest way to do this is using a free piece of software called [[https://www.advanced-ip-scanner.com/|Advanced IP Scanner]]. Download and run it (no need to install). Click "Scan" and wait till it finishes. The camera can usually be identified by Manufacturer 'ICP Internet Communications' or 'Motion Control Systems', though other vendor names are possible such as 'Koenig & Bauer AG' and 'Metrohm AG'. If none of the names look right you may need to experiment by trying to connect to each candidate in turn.

=== Checking the Connection ===
[[File:vlcconfig.jpg|thumb|right|VLC Network Stream]]
* Once you have the IP Address, open VLC on your Pi, Mac or Windows machine, and from the "Media" menu, select "Open Network Stream".

* Enter the following into the address box, replacing '''1.2.3.4''' with the address you got in the previous step

<blockquote>rtsp://'''1.2.3.4''':554/user=admin&password=&channel=1&stream=0.sdp</blockquote>

* After a second or two, you should get a view through the camera. If nothing comes up, check you have got the right IP address, and that the cables are secure.

* You can now double-check that you installed the camera the right way up.
If the image is upside down in VLC, turn it through 180 degrees in the housing. do '''not''' be tempted to use firmware settings to flip or mirror the image. These cameras have a 'rolling' shutter and to work out precise timings of meteors, the RMS software compensates for the shutter movement. If the camera is upside down and the image then flipped, the shutter is working in the opposite direction to that expected by RMS and timings will be wrong. You '''must''' physically rotate the camera.

* Note that its entirely normal for the image to be very red and overexposed in daylight. We've removed the IR Block filter so the camera picks up a lot of red light. This is exactly what we want.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Checking for Obstructions ==
[[File:vlcview.jpg|thumb|right|Obstructions]]
* Temporarily close the housing case up and check if it can be seen obstructing the view anywhere.

* Move the camera around on the mount to minimise the obstructions, and if necessary bend or tilt the bracket to angle the camera down a bit.

* However, don't worry if you can't eliminate all obstructions. Later on you will create a software mask to prevent these areas causing false detections.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Focusing the Camera ==

There's a whole separate section of the Wiki on [[Focusing_your_camera|focusing]], but here's the short version !!
* connect the camera to your network as above.
* Open VLC.
* Aim the camera at something at around 30-50 metres away.
* Screw the lens in and out slowly to get best focus.

You can do this using the RMS utility ShowLivestream instead of VLC, if you have already fully configured the camera and Pi as explained in the next step.

Note that there's a short lag due to the network, so you should wait a second or two after each adjustment to allow the change to be reflected in VLC.

Important note: if your camera came with an electronic filter, and you have left the 'daytime' filter in place you MUST finalise focus at night. The filters slightly alter focus.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Setting Camera Parameters ==
To operate at night, the camera must be reset to the correct gain, colour mode and video mode. There are two ways you can do this:

=== Using the CMS Software ===
<table>
* If you have a Pi3, you will currently have to use CMS.
* CMS is a security camera software package you can [https://learncctv.com/download-cms-software/ download] from the internet. You can use the software as explained in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2sq1hBwcAA this] video by Denis Vida.
* Note however that you should reset the network as the LAST thing you do. The video does it a bit soon.
</table>

=== Using the RMS software ===
[[File:Ping-camera.JPG|thumb|right|Making sure the Pi can see the Camera]]

'''Note that all RMS scripts MUST be run from the source/RMS folder as the Pi user. Don't be tempted to cd into a different folder! It won't work.'''

* If you have a Pi4, you can use a utility that's part of RMS, as follows:

* If you're not using the pre-built image, first install RMS on the Pi as explained [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page#RMS_Software_Installation here].

* Now plug the camera into your router, open a Terminal window on the Pi and, using the address of your camera, make sure the Pi can ping the camera:
<pre>ping a.b.c.d</pre>
If you get any errors or timeouts, check the camera IP address, and check that the Pi is connected to your home network.

* Next open a terminal window and run this script to reset the camera IP address.
<pre> python -m Utils.SetCameraAddress a.b.c.d 192.168.42.10</pre>
* You will lose connection to the camera and see a bunch of error messages. Thats normal. Once you see a timeout message, unplug the power and network from the camera.

* Now plug the camera directly into the Pi's ethernet port, open a Terminal window and run the following script to update the camera gain, video mode, and other settings.
[[File:Setting-camer-params.JPG|thumb|right|Setting Camera Params]]
<pre>Scripts/RMS_SetCameraParams.sh</pre>

* Note: If you have RMS installed on your PC then you can change the camera address from your PC instead, then connect it to the Pi and run the 2nd script.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Final Steps =
== Sealing the Housing ==
[[File:sealedhousing.jpg|thumb|right|Sealing the Housing]]
Depending on your climate, its usually advisable to seal up the camera housing against rain and snow.

From the outside, carefully go round the edge of the glass with silicone sealant. Also squirt sealant into any screw holes visible on the front of the camera housing, where it will be most exposed to rain.

But DONT seal up the hinged door because you will occasionally need to maintain the camera, and you don't want to have to prise it open with a chisel!

If there are any cable connections outside the casing, you should also seal these up thoroughhly. This writer can attest to the damage caused by water ingress into a PoE connector! Tape up or seal the connections tightly with some sort of waterproof product (I used electrical tape), but remember you may need to change the cable, so don't seal it irreversibly.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>
== Mounting Outside ==
Mount the camera somewhere with a good view of the sky and without too many 'terrestrial' obstructions such as trees, hills and buildings. Take special care to angle well away from security lights. These lights emit infrared and without the IR Block filter, the IMX cameras are extremely sensitive to this.

When locating the camera, bear in mind that you will need to be able to get to the camera to maintain it. The cameras do not need to be high up as long as they have a good view of the sky. Mine are at eye-level on my observatory shed.

As before, don't worry if its not practical to eliminate all obstructions as you can mask off any that can't be avoided.

=== Aiming the Camera ===
[[file:cameraview.jpg|thumb|right|Aiming the Camera]]
The cameras have a field of about 40-45 degrees vertically and 90 degrees horizontally so angle the camera upwards at between 35-45 degrees, higher if you have lots of nearby hills or trees. This should maximise meteor detection.

If you can arrange so that the camera view overlaps with other RMS users, thats even better. Check with the network to get an idea of a good direction.

In this photo, the camera is aimed up at about 40 degrees, just above the top of the hill behind the camera location. The parts of the hill that are visible will be masked off in the software to avoid 'meteor-wrongs' due to dog-walkers with head torches!
</td></tr></table>

= Thats it! =
Once the camera is installed, connect up the PoE adapter, attach a long network cable and run it to wherever you are going to keep the Raspberry Pi. Remember to ask permission before drilling holes in the walls... :)

= Now install the Software =
Now you can finish configuring the Raspberry Pi by installing a prebuilt image. This is covered in a separate guide [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page#RMS_Software_Installation here].

Build A Camera

2022-04-26T04:12:28Z

TasmanSkies: update to RTC information so purchasers get the correct module, page now includes a larger 6-pin device

= Parts and Tools needed =
[[File:01_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|Annotated Parts List]]

Click on the image to the right to see a larger version with the parts labelled

# IMX291 sensor board
# Lens with the lens holder - 4mm, 6mm are M16 mount as pictured, while other lenses might be CS which have a different holder
# 2x M2 screws, 6mm long - for mounting lens holder
# Camera housing
# Small cable gland (supplied with the housing)
# Large cable gland (supplied with the housing)
# Camera Power over Ethernet (PoE) cable (sometimes called a network cable by the sellers)
# Camera board holder (supplied with the housing)
# Holder metal plate (supplied with the housing)
# 4x M2 screws, 12 mm long - for mounting camera module to bracket
# 1x M3-.50 screw, 6mm long - for mounting camera module L-bracket to base plate
# Metal plate screws (supplied with the housing)
# Transparent weatherproof silicone
# Housing mounting bracket (supplied with the housing)
# Waterproof ethernet cable protector
# PoE injector to supply 48v to the camera (not shown)
# Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 2GB (or at least a 3B+ with 2GB) with official power supply (not shown)
# Raspberry Pi housing (not shown)
# 128 GB or greater microSD card (not shown)
# Self-amalgamating tape (not shown)

== Purchasing Parts ==
For consistency across the network and to make collaborative support possible, it is recommended that the camera and lenses listed below are used in preference to random handy bits that are cobbled together. The selected components are proven and known to work well. Other components can be sourced from any convenient seller.

Many components such as the Pi and microSD cards are are readily available in most locations. For other items such as lens, camera and housing, AliExpress - the Chinese equivalent of eBay - is the preferred online source as it serves most of the globe and has been reliably suppling parts to date.

NB: Links are given to current sellers, but stock levels vary and if the link is dead or the seller is out of stock, you should be able to find an equivalent from another seller on AliExpress.

=== Sensor ===
The bare IP security camera featuring a Sony IMX291 has been selected for the RMS system. This is available from many sellers on AliExpress. Out of the options offered, choose "With 48V POE cable" and "No lens":
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002315913099.html IVG-HP203Y-AE]
Always buy a lens separately from the list in the following section.

=== Lens ===
Most cameras available on Aliexpress come with a choice of lenses. The preferred lens is a 4mm f/0.95 M16 lens providing ~88x45° field of view, which can also be bought separately for example via this link.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32876034491.html 4mm f/0.95 M16]

If you live in an area with heavy light pollution, other options are available. We wholeheartedly recommend only using lenses from the following list, as others might not be as sensitive or might have large distortion. See [[Lens Options|this page]] for more lens options.

=== Housing ===
A security camera housing is used, providing weather-tight protection without distortion introduced by plastic domes. From the options offered, select "Plate and Bracket" to get a plate for mounting a 38x38mm bare IP camera module, and an L-shaped mounting bracket.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32355130687.html IP66 CCTV Camera Housing with Plate and Bracket] This will also provide a pair of cable glands and some essential screws.

=== Power Over Ethernet Injector ===
This connects by network cables to both the Raspberry Pi and the camera sensor, and injects 48V DC onto the network cable to the camera to supply it with power. Pick a suitable plug style for your location from the options offered. An example unit is:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32787153455.html PoE Injector 48V 0.5A]

Note that over short lengths of up to about 5m you can also use plain PoE connectors. These simply feed 12V from a power supply into the ethernet and extract it at the other end. Over short distances this will supply the camera with adequate power without the need for 48V injectors.

Finally, if you are operating several cameras, you can use a PoE switch instead of a PoE injector.

=== Cooled Housing for Raspberry Pi ===
This is one of the rare cases that fulfills our needs. It has a fan which is relatively quiet, it’s sturdy, and it can fit the RTC with the addition of riser pins. '''Please buy this case''', we have tried many others, but they are not as good. From the options offered, make sure you select one that says "for Pi 4" if you are using a Raspberry Pi 4, or "for Pi 3B Plus" if you are using a Raspbery Pi 3B+. Additionally there is a case variation that is fully enclosed and has no fans; do not select this option.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32959825297.html Raspberry Pi Aluminium Enclosure with fans]

=== Real Time Clock for Raspberry Pi ===
[[File:rtc.jpg|thumb|RTC installation|200px]]

Very precise timing is essential to processing the meteor data, so unless you are confident in your internet connection an RTC module ensures the Raspberry Pi always has the precise time, even when power or internet is unreliable. AliExpress sells a pack of 10 but they are inexpensive - maybe share the extras among other camera constructors in your area. The AliExpress store lists two RTC modules, one labelled "DS3231 module" and the other "mini DS3231 module." Select the "mini DS3231 module" option; it is designed for the Raspberry Pi. It has 5 pins and includes a battery.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32770348851.html DS3231 RTC]

Once you plug it into the Pi (see image on the right) and make sure the current time is correct on the Pi, open the terminal and run:

<pre>
sudo hwclock -w
</pre>

This will set the current computer time to the RTC. Every time the Pi boots up, it will read the correct time from the RTC.

=== Pin Headers ===
Required to raise the height of the Raspberry GPIO bins to allow the RTC to sit proud of the Raspberry Pi case. You only need 1 but the pack of 20 is available for only a dollar or so.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32549850046.html Tall header pins]

=== Network cabling ===
You will need two lengths of network cabling, one (probably quite short) between the Raspberry Pi and the PoE injector and the other between the PoE injector and the camera. You can purchase suitable lengths locally or on AliExpress. Some people have found the following thin flat network cable to be useful for sneaking the wire through a window or door to avoid drilling holes in walls or eaves, although it will require some extra attention to seal the cable at the camera's PoE connector:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002311509668.html Cat6 Flat Ethernet Cable]

=== Waterproof Cable Connector ===
One end of the network cable will be outside, connected into the PoE cable from the camera. This is not only carrying data but 48V DC power and needs to be kept sealed. This waterproof connector is fitted over the end of the network cable connector then after the network cable is plugged into the camera's PoE cable, the connector is locked into the end of the PoE cable. For extra weatherproofing, wrap in self-amalgamating tape.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32834472563.html RJ45 Waterproof Connector Cap]

=== 128GB Micro SD Card ===
You need at least a 64GB card but a 128GB is recommended as 20+ GB of data is collected every night. Make sure it is a fast card eg Class 10 UHS-1 or better. A card can either be purchased locally or [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32676225311.html from AliExpress]. Be warned that there is an [https://photographylife.com/fake-memory-cards ongoing problem with the production and sale of fraudulent memory cards misreporting the available storage] and even supplies from a reputable outlet can be affected - test the card you purchase. The AliExpress link has been used successfully to obtain suitable micro SD cards. If you live in North America, buy your SD cards at Costco.

=== Raspberry Pi 4 ===
These are likely to be available to be purchased locally or from a domestic online source. You need at least a 2GB RAM model. The Raspberry Pi Model 4B is now the minimum spec. Previously, a Raspberry Pi Model 3B+ was considered the minimum but these do not have the performance or memory to handle busy meteor showers. Purchase the official 5.1V 3A 15.3W power supply to go with it - most problems with Raspberry Pi units are due to inadequate power supplies being used instead of purchasing the official power pack. Note: to connect a RPi 4B to a monitor you will also need a micro-HDMI cable, so that might be necessary to add to the shopping cart also.

=== Additional items and tools ===
* Source suitable M2 and M3 screws. It might be possible to find these locally but in some places they are just odd enough to be quite hard to find. You could order some hardware from the [https://www.aliexpress.com/store/4714020?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000007.1.5fc666d9tN1f8i ScrewHome Store] on AliExpress. Each [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32981714992.html?spm=a2g0o.store_pc_groupList.8148356.10.be65539dLjPgfh packet of 50 M2x6mm, M2x12mm, and M3x6mm] machine screws will cost only a few dollars.
* A tube of silicone sealant is used to seal the glass window for the housing and the front screws in the housing.
* Self-amalgamating tape can be used to wrap and seal the cable connector(s) to ensure they remain weathertight in all conditions.
* Tools such as small wire cutters or a sharp knife, various sized screwdrivers, a drill and screws to mount the camera bracket will be required.

Deprecated shopping list: [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XBSdrkwrOGPONIn5PBJ7YzH2vr7pUIxW3l8S62BQXEQ/edit LINK]

Some cameras come with a slightly different cable with a separate 12V socket for power input as shown [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/images/d/dc/Alternatecable.jpg here].
If the power input port has a small cap, then you can just cover it and use the PoE on the ethernet port. If it's open, then you will need a pair of PoE adapters (seen in that picture in the background).

To test and focus the camera you will need VLC. This software is preinstalled on the Pi but is also available for Mac, Windows or Linux from [https://www.videolan.org/vlc/ here].

= Assembly =
[Note: there's a longer version of the camera assembly section of this page available on Google Docs. Please refer to [https://docs.google.com/document/d/18TT-Jm7z9kYskl5ua07jQWD91OiyBemBnOosiNdW6nY/edit?usp=sharing this] if you need more information.]

<table><tr><td>
== Preparing the Lens ==
[[File:Irblock.jpg|thumb|right|single filter: punch out the filter]]
* Start by removing protective covers from the sensor and lens. Take care not to touch the sensor after this is removed.

* The cameras come with an IR Block filter in the lens holder. We don't want this.

'''Lens holder with single filter'''
* If you have a lens like the one shown in the first image, unscrew the lens from the holder.
* Then using a screwdriver, carefully push the filter out of the lens holder as shown in the image on the right. If you push from the front, the filter may come out intact.
* If it shatters, make sure there are no shards left.

'''Lens holder with electronic filter drawer'''
* Some lenses come an electronic day/night filter drawer. These have a small cable to plug into the camera board. Two different types of these filter holders are shown here.
[[File:lensholders2.jpg|thumb|right|Two sorts of lens holder with day/night filters]]

* DO NOT try to punch out the filter directly as this may jam the mechanism or leave shards of glass inside.
* If your holder is the type with a rectangular sliding drawer, remove the drawer by undoing the screw on the end. Then remove the while filter glass entirely.
[[File:slidedrawer.jpg|thumb|right|Sliding type: Remove the filter entirely]]

* If your holder is the other type, undo the three small screws on the top and take off the cover. Then remove the clear filter. You can leave the reddish daylight filter.
[[File:rotatingfilter.jpg|thumb|right|Rotating type: Remove just the clear filter]]

* Now reassemble the filter holder. Do not connect the power cable to the camera.

* Next look on the underside of the lens holder where you will see two plastic nubbins. These get in the way, so using the wire cutters snip them off. Make sure you get the base completely flat.

* Then screw the lens back into the lens holder.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Attaching the Lens to the Camera ==
[[File:lensattaching.jpg|thumb|right|Attaching the Lens]]

* Carefully unclip the circuit board from the plastic holder but do not detach the ribbon cable.

* Using the supplied screws, attach the lens to the sensor.

* Replace the circuit board in the plastic holder.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Preparing the Camera Housing =
[[File:glands.jpg|thumb|right|Glands in Place]]
* Fit the small cable gland to the housing and pass the loose ends of the Camera PoE cable up through, but don't tighten it up yet. Remember to slip the cap over the cable first!

* Fit the large cable gland in the other opening, and push a piece of plastic packing foam into it. Don't seal it up completely though this is to keep insects from getting in, but allow moisture out.

* We do not recommend that you put the whole cable inside the housing, as the LEDs on it will create light pollution inside the housing.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>
== Attaching the Camera ==
[[File:camerafitted.jpg|thumb|right|Camera In Mount]]

'''Note: I recommend installing the camera in the housing at this point so that you do not have to detach the cables or risk knocking focus later on. However, you can proceed to test focus etc before installing the camera in the housing if you wish.''' If you prefer to do that, skip this section for now and come back later. Otherwise:

* Connect the metal camera holder to the metal plate using one 6mm M3 screw. Note the orientation of the plate as shown in the photo.

* Using three 12 mm M2 screws, connect the camera board to the metal holder, passing the lens through the square hole from the back.

* Note that on some camera models, the writing on the camera board or image of a stick man must be UPSIDE DOWN to get the correct orientation of the camera. In this orientation, the sockets for power and networking will be at the bottom of the rear of the camera board. To be sure you have it the right way up, see advice in the section on Testing and Focusing.

* Finally, remove the plastic cap on the lens.
See image for the proper camera board orientation, so the video is not sideways or upside down.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Installing the Camera in the Housing ==
[[File:camerainhousing.jpg|thumb|right|Camera In Housing]]

* Remove the plastic plate from inside the housing and discard it.

* Fit the camera on its metal plate into the housing, as close to the front glass as you can get it without actually touching. A few millimetres away should be good.

* Looking at the camera from the rear, attach the largest connector (often with blue/green wires) to the right hand socket.

* Attach the power connector to the left hand socket. This connector has several pins but only two are connected (red/black).

* The third connector (two pins, red/black) is for a powered lens and is not used so tape it back out of the way.

* Once you've secured the camera in position, you can tighten up the cable glands.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Testing and Focusing =
At this point, your camera must be tested and focused. There's no point sealing up the housing and screwing it to the wall if its not working or isn't focused !

== Testing the Camera ==
* If your camera came with a single PoE cable, connect this to a netork cable and plug the other end of the network cable into your PoE injector.

* if your camera came with a cable with separate network and power sockets, plug the "output" PoE adapter into the camera cable and plug a network cable into the PoE adapter, then connect the other end of the network cable into the other PoE adapter.
*. Connect the PoE adapter or injector into a spare socket on your home router and connect the camera power supply to it.

The Camera PoE cable lights should come on, indicating traffic is flowing. After a few seconds, it should steady down to irregular flashing. If you don't see flashing lights then check the cable connections to make sure everything is plugged in properly.

=== Find its IP Address ===
[[File:ip-scan.jpg|thumb|right|Finding the Camera Address]]
The camera should now appear as a device on your network and to test it properly you will need to find its IP Address. The easiest way to do this is using a free piece of software called [[https://www.advanced-ip-scanner.com/|Advanced IP Scanner]]. Download and run it (no need to install). Click "Scan" and wait till it finishes. The camera can usually be identified by Manufacturer 'ICP Internet Communications' or 'Motion Control Systems', though other vendor names are possible such as 'Koenig & Bauer AG' and 'Metrohm AG'. If none of the names look right you may need to experiment by trying to connect to each candidate in turn.

=== Checking the Connection ===
[[File:vlcconfig.jpg|thumb|right|VLC Network Stream]]
* Once you have the IP Address, open VLC on your Pi, Mac or Windows machine, and from the "Media" menu, select "Open Network Stream".

* Enter the following into the address box, replacing '''1.2.3.4''' with the address you got in the previous step

<blockquote>rtsp://'''1.2.3.4''':554/user=admin&password=&channel=1&stream=0.sdp</blockquote>

* After a second or two, you should get a view through the camera. If nothing comes up, check you have got the right IP address, and that the cables are secure.

* You can now double-check that you installed the camera the right way up.
If the image is upside down in VLC, turn it through 180 degrees in the housing. do '''not''' be tempted to use firmware settings to flip or mirror the image. These cameras have a 'rolling' shutter and to work out precise timings of meteors, the RMS software compensates for the shutter movement. If the camera is upside down and the image then flipped, the shutter is working in the opposite direction to that expected by RMS and timings will be wrong. You '''must''' physically rotate the camera.

* Note that its entirely normal for the image to be very red and overexposed in daylight. We've removed the IR Block filter so the camera picks up a lot of red light. This is exactly what we want.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Checking for Obstructions ==
[[File:vlcview.jpg|thumb|right|Obstructions]]
* Temporarily close the housing case up and check if it can be seen obstructing the view anywhere.

* Move the camera around on the mount to minimise the obstructions, and if necessary bend or tilt the bracket to angle the camera down a bit.

* However, don't worry if you can't eliminate all obstructions. Later on you will create a software mask to prevent these areas causing false detections.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Focusing the Camera ==

There's a whole separate section of the Wiki on [[Focusing_your_camera|focusing]], but here's the short version !!
* connect the camera to your network as above.
* Open VLC.
* Aim the camera at something at around 30-50 metres away.
* Screw the lens in and out slowly to get best focus.

You can do this using the RMS utility ShowLivestream instead of VLC, if you have already fully configured the camera and Pi as explained in the next step.

Note that there's a short lag due to the network, so you should wait a second or two after each adjustment to allow the change to be reflected in VLC.

Important note: if your camera came with an electronic filter, and you have left the 'daytime' filter in place you MUST finalise focus at night. The filters slightly alter focus.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Setting Camera Parameters ==
To operate at night, the camera must be reset to the correct gain, colour mode and video mode. There are two ways you can do this:

=== Using the CMS Software ===
<table>
* If you have a Pi3, you will currently have to use CMS.
* CMS is a security camera software package you can [https://learncctv.com/download-cms-software/ download] from the internet. You can use the software as explained in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2sq1hBwcAA this] video by Denis Vida.
* Note however that you should reset the network as the LAST thing you do. The video does it a bit soon.
</table>

=== Using the RMS software ===
[[File:Ping-camera.JPG|thumb|right|Making sure the Pi can see the Camera]]

* If you have a Pi4, you can use a utility that's part of RMS, as follows:

* If you're not using the pre-built image, first install RMS on the Pi as explained [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page#RMS_Software_Installation here].

* Now plug the camera into your router, open a Terminal window on the Pi and, using the address of your camera, make sure the Pi can ping the camera:
<pre>ping a.b.c.d</pre>
If you get any errors or timeouts, check the camera IP address, and check that the Pi is connected to your home network.

* Next run this script to reset the camera IP address.
<pre> python -m Utils.SetCameraAddress a.b.c.d 192.168.42.10</pre>
* You will lose connection to the camera and see a bunch of error messages. Thats normal. Once you see a timeout message, unplug the power and network from the camera.

* Now plug the camera directly into the Pi's ethernet port and run the following script to update the camera gain, video mode, and other settings.
[[File:Setting-camer-params.JPG|thumb|right|Setting Camera Params]]
<pre>Scripts/RMS_SetCameraParams.sh</pre>

* Note: If you have RMS installed on your PC then you can change the camera address from your PC instead, then connect it to the Pi and run the 2nd script.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Final Steps =
== Sealing the Housing ==
[[File:sealedhousing.jpg|thumb|right|Sealing the Housing]]
Depending on your climate, its usually advisable to seal up the camera housing against rain and snow.

From the outside, carefully go round the edge of the glass with silicone sealant. Also squirt sealant into any screw holes visible on the front of the camera housing, where it will be most exposed to rain.

But DONT seal up the hinged door because you will occasionally need to maintain the camera, and you don't want to have to prise it open with a chisel!

If there are any cable connections outside the casing, you should also seal these up thoroughhly. This writer can attest to the damage caused by water ingress into a PoE connector! Tape up or seal the connections tightly with some sort of waterproof product (I used electrical tape), but remember you may need to change the cable, so don't seal it irreversibly.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>
== Mounting Outside ==
Mount the camera somewhere with a good view of the sky and without too many 'terrestrial' obstructions such as trees, hills and buildings. Take special care to angle well away from security lights. These lights emit infrared and without the IR Block filter, the IMX cameras are extremely sensitive to this.

When locating the camera, bear in mind that you will need to be able to get to the camera to maintain it. The cameras do not need to be high up as long as they have a good view of the sky. Mine are at eye-level on my observatory shed.

As before, don't worry if its not practical to eliminate all obstructions as you can mask off any that can't be avoided.

=== Aiming the Camera ===
[[file:cameraview.jpg|thumb|right|Aiming the Camera]]
The cameras have a field of about 40-45 degrees vertically and 90 degrees horizontally so angle the camera upwards at between 35-45 degrees, higher if you have lots of nearby hills or trees. This should maximise meteor detection.

If you can arrange so that the camera view overlaps with other RMS users, thats even better. Check with the network to get an idea of a good direction.

In this photo, the camera is aimed up at about 40 degrees, just above the top of the hill behind the camera location. The parts of the hill that are visible will be masked off in the software to avoid 'meteor-wrongs' due to dog-walkers with head torches!
</td></tr></table>

= Thats it! =
Once the camera is installed, connect up the PoE adapter, attach a long network cable and run it to wherever you are going to keep the Raspberry Pi. Remember to ask permission before drilling holes in the walls... :)

= Now install the Software =
Now you can finish configuring the Raspberry Pi by installing a prebuilt image. This is covered in a separate guide [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page#RMS_Software_Installation here].

Installation for Linux

2022-03-08T23:34:03Z

TasmanSkies: typo

=== Installation for Linux ===

The scripts linked below have been tested under Ubuntu 20.4 LTS and 20.10, Debian 10 (Buster) and an additional version for Debian 11 (Bullseye) All will work fine for both desktop and server variants and likely other Debian based distros like Mint.

Because of package name differences and in Buster the broken state of the xcb-utils package the installer is hard-coded to detect either of these distro variants and install the correct packages, so if you want to install to some other flavour then you'll likely need to roll-your-own, albeit the install script will give you a good starting point.

To start, download both of the following to your home directory (~/)
For 'Buntu and Debian 10 -

'''wget https://gist.githubusercontent.com/edharman/dc8dc37d5f9216c97c345c6b0abab251/raw/4a11cfbc508eed48ce6143e2b4c50850d393bd7f/install.sh'''

For Debian 11 only -

'''wget
https://gist.github.com/edharman/2c1a74f86ca7d545dc6277498feb59f5'''

For all variants -

'''wget https://gist.githubusercontent.com/edharman/dc8dc37d5f9216c97c345c6b0abab251/raw/4a11cfbc508eed48ce6143e2b4c50850d393bd7f/opencv4_install.sh'''

You should have 2 new files in your directory-

install.sh

opencv4_install.sh

Next -

'''chmod +x *.sh'''

You may want to edit the opencv4_install.sh to both reflect the GPU you may be using and optimise the compile time by adjusting the number of threads/cores to use whilst compiling - this is controlled by the line

make -j4 -- 4 being the No. of threads to use

If using an NVIDIA GPU you'll need to google for the device specific instructions and compile flags..

By default VAAPI support is assumed and both gstreamer and ffmpeg capture enabled, so if you are using Intel chipsets with Iris integrated GPU's you are good to go, albeit you will need to install the Intel drivers and VAAPI support Ubuntu instructions [http://lifestyletransfer.com/how-to-install-gstreamer-vaapi-plugins-on-ubuntu/]

The install procedure at some point clones the opencv repository which itself contains an opencv4_intall.sh which is not optimised for Intel chipsets, however this install script will copy the one from your home directory and execute that instead.

Next execute the install script -

'''./install.sh'''

You will immediately be prompted to enter your sudo password before the procedure continues....

If you are installing on a Debian distro the script will then run without intervention to completion, if using a Ubuntu distro you will at some point be prompted to accept an EULA licence for the TrueType fonts install.

If you are installing onto a server variant and likely in an SSH'd terminal you likely have not got mouse support in your terminal window, so to navigate the EULA screens -

At the first screen, hit the tab button and the <OK> box should be highlighted red, then hit return.

At the second screen hit the tab once and the <Yes> option should be highlighted in red, then press return - the install process will then continue to completion.

The install script may take some time dependant on the hardware you have, I have tested this on an Intel i3 physical server and on an i6 running VM's under Hyper-V and on the latter with 10 threads enabled the install time is under 30 minutes, YMMV..

Upon completion (and I am assuming a headless 'server' distro install) in the shell window -

'''source vRMS/bin/activate''' # to enter the vRMS env

'''cd source/RMS''' # to enter the default working directory

Next steps are to edit and customise your .config file to reflect your station location, camera config and storage directory and any other site specific details -

'''nano .config'''

Assuming you are using an IP camera the capture device string will be something like -

1. using gstreamer with VAAPI acceleration -

'''device: rtspsrc location=rtsp://<camera-ip>:554/user=admin&password=&channel=1&stream=0.sdp ! rtpjitterbuffer ! rtph264depay ! h264parse ! vaapidecodebin ! videoconvert ! appsink'''

2. Alternatively using FFMPEG with no hardware acceleration -

'''device: rtsp://<camera-ip>:554/user=admin&password=&channel=1&stream=0.sdp'''

Save the .config and test that you can see the camera stream -

On a desktop run the ShowLiveStream script by clicking on the icon

On a headless machine (and assuming you have X-11 forwarding support '''and''' a remote X-11-Server on your desktop , more on that in another post [https://gist.github.com/edharman/2ab7976a71c413e9617add12dc94b278 here]...

In the shell terminal -

'''python -m Utils.ShowLiveStream'''

...after a few seconds whilst cython will check it is up to date you should see a new window open showing the live stream..

Hitting CTRL-C in the launch window will kill it...

To start a capture -
On a desktop install click the RMS_StartCapture link on the desktop.

On a headless system I use -

'''nohup ./Scripts/RMS_StartCapture.sh &> /dev/null &'''

This redirects stderr & stdout to /dev/null (i.e. throws it away) and the final & backgrounds the process so the you can disconnect the terminal session and leave the process running.

To run SkyFit2 -

'''python -m Utils.SkyFit2 <path to .fits capture directory>'''

I find this is pretty quick and responsive even on a lowly i3 processor and running headless.

=== Multiple Camera Configuration ===
'''''This section is a work in progress and until this notice is removed, should be considered a draft pending testing for verification and validation.'''''

Some contributors want to run multiple cameras; this is the recommended way to achieve this on a Linux machine.

'''Hardware requirements'''

A Raspberry Pi 4B has insufficient resources; a mini-PC is required as a minimum platform.

For the benefit of standardization for new off-the-shelf/turnkey systems, do we perhaps suggest looking at such platforms as the [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003047104953.html M1T], [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003847375293.html ZX01], or [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002964485725.html MeLE Quieter2] and note that use of any available PC platform is more than likely adequate?

'''Strategy'''

Use a single vanilla RMS install but launch the StartLiveCapture script with a '''--config <path to your stations .config file>''' This requires that you place each instances .config file into a unique directory since the filename is hardcoded.

Drawbacks to this method are
*There is potentially a race condition when at the start of a capture RMS looks to see if there is enough free space for the nights capture (also depending on your storage layout you may also have to increase the extra_space_gb parameter)
*Not all of the RMS scripts support the --config argument
*Considering that people willing to use multiple instances on the same machine should be using a HDD or SSD, putting in some extra_space_gb should work well for them.

From a default RMS install, open a terminal

$: ‘sudo pip3 install virtualenv-clone’
$: virtualenv-clone vRMS <new env-name>

Note: the new env directory must reside at the same directory level as your base RMS install, e.g.

If by default you have the initial RMS installed to

~/source/RMS

then create a new directory for the 2nd one as

mkdir ~/source-2

$: cp -r source <source_new-env-name>
$: activate <new env-name>/bin/activate
$: cd source-<source-new-name>/RMS

Then edit .config to reflect -
* Location
* 2nd camera details, ip address etc
* RMS_data store directory
*...and depending on your data directory if as I do, you use a separate directory on a common fileshare for storage then you might want to adjust the max-free amount to reflect the potential doubling of space free required for a successful nights capture (@25fps & 2 cameras I set this to 40Gb)

You'll also need to edit any of the 2nd env's scripts you need to use e.g.
Scripts/RMS_StartCapture.sh -
to reflect new virtual env as opposed to the default (vRMS) and launch the script as follows to background it and detach if you wish to
run the capture process headless -

nohup ~/source-2/RMS/Scripts/RMS_StartCapture.sh >/dev/null 2>&1 &

''Note: This feels very much like the sort of instructions a person familiar with Linux and RMS could use to get multiple cameras working - lets us imagine that the audience is a STEM class that is building a set of six cameras for an all-sky coverage station, who are coming at RMS for the first time and are relatively unfamiliar with Linux having come from an iOS/Windows world - how can we lay out the steps for converting a single camera config into a multiple-camera config in such a way that they will have immediate success?''

Installation for Linux

2022-03-08T23:23:19Z

TasmanSkies: Added draft section for multiple-camera config

=== Installation for Linux ===

The scripts linked below have been tested under Ubuntu 20.4 LTS and 20.10, Debian 10 (Buster) and an additional version for Debian 11 (Bullseye) All will work fine for both desktop and server variants and likely other Debian based distros like Mint.

Because of package name differences and in Buster the broken state of the xcb-utils package the installer is hard-coded to detect either of these distro variants and install the correct packages, so if you want to install to some other flavour then you'll likely need to roll-your-own, albeit the install script will give you a good starting point.

To start, download both of the following to your home directory (~/)
For 'Buntu and Debian 10 -

'''wget https://gist.githubusercontent.com/edharman/dc8dc37d5f9216c97c345c6b0abab251/raw/4a11cfbc508eed48ce6143e2b4c50850d393bd7f/install.sh'''

For Debian 11 only -

'''wget
https://gist.github.com/edharman/2c1a74f86ca7d545dc6277498feb59f5'''

For all variants -

'''wget https://gist.githubusercontent.com/edharman/dc8dc37d5f9216c97c345c6b0abab251/raw/4a11cfbc508eed48ce6143e2b4c50850d393bd7f/opencv4_install.sh'''

You should have 2 new files in your directory-

install.sh

opencv4_install.sh

Next -

'''chmod +x *.sh'''

You may want to edit the opencv4_install.sh to both reflect the GPU you may be using and optimise the compile time by adjusting the number of threads/cores to use whilst compiling - this is controlled by the line

make -j4 -- 4 being the No. of threads to use

If using an NVIDIA GPU you'll need to google for the device specific instructions and compile flags..

By default VAAPI support is assumed and both gstreamer and ffmpeg capture enabled, so if you are using Intel chipsets with Iris integrated GPU's you are good to go, albeit you will need to install the Intel drivers and VAAPI support Ubuntu instructions [http://lifestyletransfer.com/how-to-install-gstreamer-vaapi-plugins-on-ubuntu/]

The install procedure at some point clones the opencv repository which itself contains an opencv4_intall.sh which is not optimised for Intel chipsets, however this install script will copy the one from your home directory and execute that instead.

Next execute the install script -

'''./install.sh'''

You will immediately be prompted to enter your sudo password before the procedure continues....

If you are installing on a Debian distro the script will then run without intervention to completion, if using a Ubuntu distro you will at some point be prompted to accept an EULA licence for the TrueType fonts install.

If you are installing onto a server variant and likely in an SSH'd terminal you likely have not got mouse support in your terminal window, so to navigate the EULA screens -

At the first screen, hit the tab button and the <OK> box should be highlighted red, then hit return.

At the second screen hit the tab once and the <Yes> option should be highlighted in red, then press return - the install process will then continue to completion.

The install script may take some time dependant on the hardware you have, I have tested this on an Intel i3 physical server and on an i6 running VM's under Hyper-V and on the latter with 10 threads enabled the install time is under 30 minutes, YMMV..

Upon completion (and I am assuming a headless 'server' distro install) in the shell window -

'''source vRMS/bin/activate''' # to enter the vRMS env

'''cd source/RMS''' # to enter the default working directory

Next steps are to edit and customise your .config file to reflect your station location, camera config and storage directory and any other site specific details -

'''nano .config'''

Assuming you are using an IP camera the capture device string will be something like -

1. using gstreamer with VAAPI acceleration -

'''device: rtspsrc location=rtsp://<camera-ip>:554/user=admin&password=&channel=1&stream=0.sdp ! rtpjitterbuffer ! rtph264depay ! h264parse ! vaapidecodebin ! videoconvert ! appsink'''

2. Alternatively using FFMPEG with no hardware acceleration -

'''device: rtsp://<camera-ip>:554/user=admin&password=&channel=1&stream=0.sdp'''

Save the .config and test that you can see the camera stream -

On a desktop run the ShowLiveStream script by clicking on the icon

On a headless machine (and assuming you have X-11 forwarding support '''and''' a remote X-11-Server on your desktop , more on that in another post [https://gist.github.com/edharman/2ab7976a71c413e9617add12dc94b278 here]...

In the shell terminal -

'''python -m Utils.ShowLiveStream'''

...after a few seconds whilst cython will check it is up to date you should see a new window open showing the live stream..

Hitting CTRL-C in the launch window will kill it...

To start a capture -
On a desktop install click the RMS_StartCapture link on the desktop.

On a headless system I use -

'''nohup ./Scripts/RMS_StartCapture.sh &> /dev/null &'''

This redirects stderr & stdout to /dev/null (i.e. throws it away) and the final & backgrounds the process so the you can disconnect the terminal session and leave the process running.

To run SkyFit2 -

'''python -m Utils.SkyFit2 <path to .fits capture directory>'''

I find this is pretty quick and responsive even on a lowly i3 processor and running headless.

=== Multiple Camera Configuration ===
'''''This section is a work in progress and until this notice is removed, should be considered a draft pending testing for verification and validation.'''''

Some contributors want to run multiple cameras; this is the recommended way to achieve this on a Linux machine.

'''Hardware requirements'''

A Raspberry Pi 4B has insufficient resources; a mini-PC is required as a minimum platform.

For the benefit of standardization for new off-0the-shelf/turnkey systems, do we perhaps suggest looking at such platforms as the [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003047104953.html M1T], [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003847375293.html ZX01], or [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002964485725.html MeLE Quieter2] and note that use of any available PC platform is more than likely adequate?

'''Strategy'''

Use a single vanilla RMS install but launch the StartLiveCapture script with a '''--config <path to your stations .config file>''' This requires that you place each instances .config file into a unique directory since the filename is hardcoded.

Drawbacks to this method are
*There is potentially a race condition when at the start of a capture RMS looks to see if there is enough free space for the nights capture (also depending on your storage layout you may also have to increase the extra_space_gb parameter)
*Not all of the RMS scripts support the --config argument
*Considering that people willing to use multiple instances on the same machine should be using a HDD or SSD, putting in some extra_space_gb should work well for them.

From a default RMS install, open a terminal

$: ‘sudo pip3 install virtualenv-clone’
$: virtualenv-clone vRMS <new env-name>

Note: the new env directory must reside at the same directory level as your base RMS install, e.g.

If by default you have the initial RMS installed to

~/source/RMS

then create a new directory for the 2nd one as

mkdir ~/source-2

$: cp -r source <source_new-env-name>
$: activate <new env-name>/bin/activate
$: cd source-<source-new-name>/RMS

Then edit .config to reflect -
* Location
* 2nd camera details, ip address etc
* RMS_data store directory
*...and depending on your data directory if as I do, you use a separate directory on a common fileshare for storage then you might want to adjust the max-free amount to reflect the potential doubling of space free required for a successful nights capture (@25fps & 2 cameras I set this to 40Gb)

You'll also need to edit any of the 2nd env's scripts you need to use e.g.
Scripts/RMS_StartCapture.sh -
to reflect new virtual env as opposed to the default (vRMS) and launch the script as follows to background it and detach if you wish to
run the capture process headless -

nohup ~/source-2/RMS/Scripts/RMS_StartCapture.sh >/dev/null 2>&1 &

''Note: This feels very much like the sort of instructions a person familiar with Linux and RMS could use to get multiple cameras working - lets us imagine that the audience is a STEM class that is building a set of six cameras for an all-sky coverage station, who are coming at RMS for the first time and are relatively unfamiliar with Linux having come from an iOS/Windows world - how can we lay out the steps for converting a single camera config into a multiple-camera config in such a way that they will have immediate success?''

Build A Camera

2021-12-31T09:27:10Z

TasmanSkies: /* Additional items and tools */

= Parts and Tools needed =
[[File:01_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|Annotated Parts List]]

Click on the image to the right to see a larger version with the parts labelled

# IMX291 sensor board
# Lens with the lens holder - 4mm, 6mm are M16 mount as pictured, while other lenses might be CS which have a different holder
# 2x M2 screws, 6mm long - for mounting lens holder
# Camera housing
# Small cable gland (supplied with the housing)
# Large cable gland (supplied with the housing)
# Camera Power over Ethernet (PoE) cable (sometimes called a network cable by the sellers)
# Camera board holder (supplied with the housing)
# Holder metal plate (supplied with the housing)
# 4x M2 screws, 12 mm long - for mounting camera module to bracket
# 1x M3-.50 screw, 6mm long - for mounting camera module L-bracket to base plate
# Metal plate screws (supplied with the housing)
# Transparent weatherproof silicone
# Housing mounting bracket (supplied with the housing)
# Waterproof ethernet cable protector
# PoE injector to supply 48v to the camera (not shown)
# Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 2GB (or at least a 3B+ with 2GB) with official power supply (not shown)
# Raspberry Pi housing (not shown)
# 128 GB or greater microSD card (not shown)
# Self-amalgamating tape (not shown)

== Purchasing Parts ==
For consistency across the network and to make collaborative support possible, it is recommended that the camera and lenses listed below are used in preference to random handy bits that are cobbled together. The selected components are proven and known to work well. Other components can be sourced from any convenient seller.

Many components such as the Pi and microSD cards are are readily available in most locations. For other items such as lens, camera and housing, AliExpress - the Chinese equivalent of eBay - is the preferred online source as it serves most of the globe and has been reliably suppling parts to date.

NB: Links are given to current sellers, but stock levels vary and if the link is dead or the seller is out of stock, you should be able to find an equivalent from another seller on AliExpress.

=== Sensor ===
The bare IP security camera featuring a Sony IMX291 has been selected for the RMS system. This is available from many sellers on AliExpress. Out of the options offered, choose "With 48V POE cable" and "No lens":
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002315913099.html IVG-HP203Y-AE]
Always buy a lens separately from the list in the following section.

=== Lens ===
Most cameras available on Aliexpress come with a choice of lenses. The preferred lens is a 4mm f/0.95 M16 lens providing ~88x45° field of view, which can also be bought separately for example via this link.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32876034491.html 4mm f/0.95 M16]

If you live in an area with heavy light pollution, other options are available. We wholeheartedly recommend only using lenses from the following list, as others might not be as sensitive or might have large distortion. See [[Lens Options|this page]] for more lens options.

=== Housing ===
A security camera housing is used, providing weather-tight protection without distortion introduced by plastic domes. From the options offered, select "Plate and Bracket" to get a plate for mounting a 38x38mm bare IP camera module, and an L-shaped mounting bracket.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32355130687.html IP66 CCTV Camera Housing with Plate and Bracket] This will also provide a pair of cable glands and some essential screws.

=== Power Over Ethernet Injector ===
This connects by network cables to both the Raspberry Pi and the camera sensor, and injects 48V DC onto the network cable to the camera to supply it with power. Pick a suitable plug style for your location from the options offered. An example unit is:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32787153455.html PoE Injector 48V 0.5A]

Note that over short lengths of up to about 5m you can also use plain PoE connectors. These simply feed 12V from a power supply into the ethernet and extract it at the other end. Over short distances this will supply the camera with adequate power without the need for 48V injectors.

Finally, if you are operating several cameras, you can use a PoE switch instead of a PoE injector.

=== Cooled Housing for Raspberry Pi ===
This is one of the rare cases that fulfills our needs. It has a fan which is relatively quiet, it’s sturdy, and it can fit the RTC with the addition of riser pins. '''Please buy this case''', we have tried many others, but they are not as good. From the options offered, make sure you select one that says "for Pi 4" if you are using a Raspberry Pi 4, or "for Pi 3B Plus" if you are using a Raspbery Pi 3B+. Additionally there is a case variation that is fully enclosed and has no fans; do not select this option.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32959825297.html Raspberry Pi Aluminium Enclosure with fans]

=== Real Time Clock for Raspberry Pi ===
[[File:rtc.jpg|thumb|RTC installation|200px]]

Very precise timing is essential to processing the meteor data, so unless you are confident in your internet connection an RTC module ensures the Raspberry Pi always has the precise time, even when power or internet is unreliable. AliExpress sells a pack of 10 but they are inexpensive - maybe share the extras among other camera constructors in your area.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32770348851.html DS3231 RTC]

Once you plug it into the Pi (see image on the right) and make sure the current time is correct on the Pi, open the terminal and run:

<pre>
sudo hwclock -w
</pre>

This will set the current computer time to the RTC. Every time the Pi boots up, it will read the correct time from the RTC.

=== Pin Headers ===
Required to raise the height of the Raspberry GPIO bins to allow the RTC to sit proud of the Raspberry Pi case. You only need 1 but the pack of 20 is available for only a dollar or so.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32549850046.html Tall header pins]

=== Network cabling ===
You will need two lengths of network cabling, one (probably quite short) between the Raspberry Pi and the PoE injector and the other between the PoE injector and the camera. You can purchase suitable lengths locally or on AliExpress. Some people have found the following thin flat network cable to be useful for sneaking the wire through a window or door to avoid drilling holes in walls or eaves, although it will require some extra attention to seal the cable at the camera's PoE connector:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002311509668.html Cat6 Flat Ethernet Cable]

=== Waterproof Cable Connector ===
One end of the network cable will be outside, connected into the PoE cable from the camera. This is not only carrying data but 48V DC power and needs to be kept sealed. This waterproof connector is fitted over the end of the network cable connector then after the network cable is plugged into the camera's PoE cable, the connector is locked into the end of the PoE cable. For extra weatherproofing, wrap in self-amalgamating tape.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32834472563.html RJ45 Waterproof Connector Cap]

=== 128GB Micro SD Card ===
You need at least a 64GB card but a 128GB is recommended as 20+ GB of data is collected every night. Make sure it is a fast card eg Class 10 UHS-1 or better. A card can either be purchased locally or [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32676225311.html from AliExpress]. Be warned that there is an [https://photographylife.com/fake-memory-cards ongoing problem with the production and sale of fraudulent memory cards misreporting the available storage] and even supplies from a reputable outlet can be affected - test the card you purchase. The AliExpress link has been used successfully to obtain suitable micro SD cards. If you live in North America, buy your SD cards at Costco.

=== Raspberry Pi 4 ===
These are likely to be available to be purchased locally or from a domestic online source. You need at least a 2GB RAM model. The Raspberry Pi Model 4B is now the minimum spec. Previously, a Raspberry Pi Model 3B+ was considered the minimum but these do not have the performance or memory to handle busy meteor showers. Purchase the official 5.1V 3A 15.3W power supply to go with it - most problems with Raspberry Pi units are due to inadequate power supplies being used instead of purchasing the official power pack. Note: to connect a RPi 4B to a monitor you will also need a micro-HDMI cable, so that might be necessary to add to the shopping cart also.

=== Additional items and tools ===
* Source suitable M2 and M3 screws. It might be possible to find these locally but in some places they are just odd enough to be quite hard to find. You could order some hardware from the [https://www.aliexpress.com/store/4714020?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000007.1.5fc666d9tN1f8i ScrewHome Store] on AliExpress. Each [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32981714992.html?spm=a2g0o.store_pc_groupList.8148356.10.be65539dLjPgfh packet of 50 M2x6mm, M2x12mm, and M3x6mm] machine screws will cost only a few dollars.
* A tube of silicone sealant is used to seal the glass window for the housing and the front screws in the housing.
* Self-amalgamating tape can be used to wrap and seal the cable connector(s) to ensure they remain weathertight in all conditions.
* Tools such as small wire cutters or a sharp knife, various sized screwdrivers, a drill and screws to mount the camera bracket will be required.

Deprecated shopping list: [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XBSdrkwrOGPONIn5PBJ7YzH2vr7pUIxW3l8S62BQXEQ/edit LINK]

Some cameras come with a slightly different cable with a separate 12V socket for power input as shown [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/images/d/dc/Alternatecable.jpg here].
If the power input port has a small cap, then you can just cover it and use the PoE on the ethernet port. If it's open, then you will need a pair of PoE adapters (seen in that picture in the background).

To test and focus the camera you will need VLC. This software is preinstalled on the Pi but is also available for Mac, Windows or Linux from [https://www.videolan.org/vlc/ here].

= Assembly =
[Note: there's a longer version of the camera assembly section of this page available on Google Docs. Please refer to [https://docs.google.com/document/d/18TT-Jm7z9kYskl5ua07jQWD91OiyBemBnOosiNdW6nY/edit?usp=sharing this] if you need more information.]

<table><tr><td>
== Preparing the Lens ==
[[File:Irblock.jpg|thumb|right|Punching out the filter]]
* Start by removing protective covers from the sensor and lens. Take care not to touch the sensor after this is removed.

* The cameras come with an IR Block filter in the lens holder. We don't want this.
* If you have a lens like the one shown, unscrew the lens from the holder and using a screwdriver, carefully punch out the filter from the front as shown in the image on the right. If it shatters, make sure there are no shards left.

* Some lenses come with two filters, one for day and one for night. You'll be able to tell because the lens holder will have a small cable to plug into the camera board. If your lens is like this DO NOT try to punch out the filter. Instead remove the cover from the lens holder and carefully remove the clear filter. You can leave the other, reddish, daylight filter.

* Next look on the underside of the lens holder where you will see two plastic nubbins. These get in the way, so using the wire cutters snip them off. Make sure you get the base completely flat.

* Then screw the lens back into the lens holder.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Attaching the Lens to the Camera ==
[[File:lensattaching.jpg|thumb|right|Attaching the Lens]]

* Carefully unclip the circuit board from the plastic holder but do not detach the ribbon cable.

* Using the supplied screws, attach the lens to the sensor.

* Replace the circuit board in the plastic holder.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Preparing the Camera Housing =
[[File:glands.jpg|thumb|right|Glands in Place]]
* Fit the small cable gland to the housing and pass the loose ends of the Camera PoE cable up through, but don't tighten it up yet. Remember to slip the cap over the cable first!

* Fit the large cable gland in the other opening, and push a piece of plastic packing foam into it. Don't seal it up completely though this is to keep insects from getting in, but allow moisture out.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>
== Attaching the Camera ==
[[File:camerafitted.jpg|thumb|right|Camera In Mount]]

* Connect the metal camera holder to the metal plate using one 6mm M3 screw. Note the orientation of the plate as shown in the photo.

* Using three 12 mm M2 screws, connect the camera board to the metal holder passing the lens through the square hole from the back.

* Note that on some camera models, the writing on the camera board must be UPSIDE DOWN to get the correct orientation of the camera. In this orientation, the sockets for power and networking will be at the bottom of the rear of the camera board. To be sure you have it the right way up, see advice in the section on Testing and Focusing.

* Finally, remove the plastic cap on the lens.
See image for the proper camera board orientation, so the video is not sideways or upside down.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Installing the Camera in the Housing ==
[[File:camerainhousing.jpg|thumb|right|Camera In Housing]]

* Remove the plastic plate from inside the housing and discard it.

* Fit the camera on its metal plate into the housing, as close to the front glass as you can get it without actually touching. A few millimetres away should be good.

* Looking at the camera from the rear, attach the largest connector (often with blue/green wires) to the right hand socket.

* Attach the power connector to the left hand socket. This connector has several pins but only two are connected (red/black).

* The third connector (two pins, red/black) is for a powered lens and is not used so tape it back out of the way.

* Once you've secured the camera in position, you can tighten up the cable glands.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Testing and Focusing =
At this point, your camera must be tested and focused. There's no point sealing up the housing and screwing it to the wall if its not working or isn't focused !

== Testing the Camera ==
* If your camera came with a single PoE cable, connect this to a netork cable and plug the other end of the network cable into your PoE injector.

* if your camera came with a cable with separate network and power sockets, plug the "output" PoE adapter into the camera cable and plug a network cable into the PoE adapter, then connect the other end of the network cable into the other PoE adapter.
*. Connect the PoE adapter or injector into a spare socket on your home router and connect the camera power supply to it.

The Camera PoE cable lights should come on, indicating traffic is flowing. After a few seconds, it should steady down to irregular flashing. If you don't see flashing lights then check the cable connections to make sure everything is plugged in properly.

=== Find its IP Address ===
[[File:ip-scan.jpg|thumb|right|Finding the Camera Address]]
The camera should now appear as a device on your network and to test it properly you will need to find its IP Address. The easiest way to do this is using a free piece of software called [[https://www.advanced-ip-scanner.com/|Advanced IP Scanner]]. Download and run it (no need to install). Click "Scan" and wait till it finishes. The camera can usually be identified by Manufacturer 'ICP Internet Communications' or 'Motion Control Systems', though other vendor names are possible such as 'Koenig & Bauer AG' and 'Metrohm AG'. If none of the names look right you may need to experiment by trying to connect to each candidate in turn.

=== Checking the Connection ===
[[File:vlcconfig.jpg|thumb|right|VLC Network Stream]]
* Once you have the IP Address, open VLC on your Pi, Mac or Windows machine, and from the "Media" menu, select "Open Network Stream".

* Enter the following into the address box, replacing '''1.2.3.4''' with the address you got in the previous step

<blockquote>rtsp://'''1.2.3.4''':554/user=admin&password=&channel=1&stream=0.sdp</blockquote>

* After a second or two, you should get a view through the camera. If nothing comes up, check you have got the right IP address, and that the cables are secure.

* You can now double-check that you installed the camera the right way up. If the image is upside down in VLC, turn it through 180 degrees in the housing.

* If the image is upside down, do '''not''' be tempted to use firmware settings to flip or mirror the image. These cameras have a 'rolling' shutter and to work out precise timings of meteors, the RMS software compensates for the shutter. If the camera is upside down and the image then flipped, the shutter is working in the opposite direction to that expected by RMS and timings will be wrong. You '''must''' physically rotate the camera.

* Note that its entirely normal for the image to be very red and overexposed in daylight. We've removed the IR Block filter, so the camera picks up a lot of red light. This is exactly what we want.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Checking for Obstructions ==
[[File:vlcview.jpg|thumb|right|Obstructions]]
* Temporarily close the housing case up and check if it can be seen obstructing the view anywhere.

* Move the camera around on the mount to minimise the obstructions, and if necessary bend or tilt the bracket to angle the camera down a bit.

* However, don't worry if you can't eliminate all obstructions. Later on you will create a software mask to prevent these areas causing false detections.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Focusing the Camera ==

There's a whole separate section of the Wiki on [[Focusing_your_camera|focusing]], but here's the short version !!
* connect the camera to your network as above.
* Open VLC.
* Aim the camera at something at around 30-50 metres away.
* Screw the lens in and out slowly to get best focus.

Note that there's a short lag due to the network, so you should wait a second or two after each adjustment to allow the change to be reflected in VLC.

Important note: if your camera came with an electronic filter, and you have left the 'daytime' filter in place, you MUST finalise focus at night. The filters slightly alter focus, so the daytime view is not focused when the nighttime view is!.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Setting Camera Parameters ==
To operate at night, the camera must be reset to the correct gain, colour mode and video mode. There are two ways you can do this:

=== Using the CMS Software ===
CMS is a security camera software package you can [https://learncctv.com/download-cms-software/ download] from the internet. You can use the CMS software as explained in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2sq1hBwcAA this] video by Denis Vida.
Note however that you should reset the network as the LAST thing you do. The video does it a bit soon.

=== Using the RMS software (only for Pi4 systems) ===
[[File:Ping-camera.JPG|thumb|right|Making sure the Pi can see the Camera]]

* If not using the pre-built image, install RMS on the Pi as explained [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page#RMS_Software_Installation here].

* Open a Terminal window on the Pi and, using the address of your camera, first make sure the Pi can ping the camera:
<pre>ping a.b.c.d</pre>

* Run this script to reset the camera IP address. You will lose connection to the camera and see a bunch of error messages. Thats normal. Once you see a timeout message, unplug the power and network from the camera.
<pre> python -m Utils.SetCameraAddress a.b.c.d 192.168.42.10</pre>

* Now plug the camera directly into the Pi's ethernet port and run the following script to update the camera gain, video mode, and other settings.
[[File:Setting-camer-params.JPG|thumb|right|Setting Camera Params]]
<pre>Scripts/RMS_SetCameraParams.sh</pre>

* Note: If you have RMS installed on your PC, you can change the camera address from your PC instead, then connect it to the Pi and run the 2nd script.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Final Steps =
== Sealing the Housing ==
[[File:sealedhousing.jpg|thumb|right|Sealing the Housing]]
Depending on your climate, its usually advisable to seal up the camera housing against rain and snow.

From the outside, carefully go round the edge of the glass with silicone sealant. Also squirt sealant into any screw holes visible on the front of the camera housing, where it will be most exposed to rain.

But DONT seal up the hinged door because you will occasionally need to maintain the camera, and you don't want to have to prise it open with a chisel!

If there are any cable connections outside the casing, you should also seal these up thoroughhly. This writer can attest to the damage caused by water ingress into a PoE connector! Tape up or seal the connections tightly with some sort of waterproof product (I used electrical tape), but remember you may need to change the cable, so don't seal it irreversibly.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>
== Mounting Outside ==
Mount the camera somewhere with a good view of the sky and without too many 'terrestrial' obstructions such as trees, hills and buildings. Take special care to angle well away from security lights. These lights emit infrared and without the IR Block filter, the IMX cameras are extremely sensitive to this.

When locating the camera, bear in mind that you will need to be able to get to the camera to maintain it. The cameras do not need to be high up as long as they have a good view of the sky. Mine are at eye-level on my observatory shed.

As before, don't worry if its not practical to eliminate all obstructions as you can mask off any that can't be avoided.

=== Aiming the Camera ===
[[file:cameraview.jpg|thumb|right|Aiming the Camera]]
The cameras have a field of about 40-45 degrees vertically and 90 degrees horizontally so angle the camera upwards at between 35-45 degrees, higher if you have lots of nearby hills or trees. This should maximise meteor detection.

If you can arrange so that the camera view overlaps with other RMS users, thats even better. Check with the network to get an idea of a good direction.

In this photo, the camera is aimed up at about 40 degrees, just above the top of the hill behind the camera location. The parts of the hill that are visible will be masked off in the software to avoid 'meteor-wrongs' due to dog-walkers with head torches!
</td></tr></table>

= Thats it! =
Once the camera is installed, connect up the PoE adapter, attach a long network cable and run it to wherever you are going to keep the Raspberry Pi. Remember to ask permission before drilling holes in the walls... :)

= Now install the Software =
Now you can finish configuring the Raspberry Pi by installing a prebuilt image. This is covered in a separate guide [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page#RMS_Software_Installation here].

Build A Camera

2021-12-31T09:14:54Z

TasmanSkies: /* Parts and Tools needed */ edited screw specifications, removed comment about 2 screws coming with lens - they don't anymore

= Parts and Tools needed =
[[File:01_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|Annotated Parts List]]

Click on the image to the right to see a larger version with the parts labelled

# IMX291 sensor board
# Lens with the lens holder - 4mm, 6mm are M16 mount as pictured, while other lenses might be CS which have a different holder
# 2x M2 screws, 6mm long - for mounting lens holder
# Camera housing
# Small cable gland (supplied with the housing)
# Large cable gland (supplied with the housing)
# Camera Power over Ethernet (PoE) cable (sometimes called a network cable by the sellers)
# Camera board holder (supplied with the housing)
# Holder metal plate (supplied with the housing)
# 4x M2 screws, 12 mm long - for mounting camera module to bracket
# 1x M3-.50 screw, 6mm long - for mounting camera module L-bracket to base plate
# Metal plate screws (supplied with the housing)
# Transparent weatherproof silicone
# Housing mounting bracket (supplied with the housing)
# Waterproof ethernet cable protector
# PoE injector to supply 48v to the camera (not shown)
# Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 2GB (or at least a 3B+ with 2GB) with official power supply (not shown)
# Raspberry Pi housing (not shown)
# 128 GB or greater microSD card (not shown)
# Self-amalgamating tape (not shown)

== Purchasing Parts ==
For consistency across the network and to make collaborative support possible, it is recommended that the camera and lenses listed below are used in preference to random handy bits that are cobbled together. The selected components are proven and known to work well. Other components can be sourced from any convenient seller.

Many components such as the Pi and microSD cards are are readily available in most locations. For other items such as lens, camera and housing, AliExpress - the Chinese equivalent of eBay - is the preferred online source as it serves most of the globe and has been reliably suppling parts to date.

NB: Links are given to current sellers, but stock levels vary and if the link is dead or the seller is out of stock, you should be able to find an equivalent from another seller on AliExpress.

=== Sensor ===
The bare IP security camera featuring a Sony IMX291 has been selected for the RMS system. This is available from many sellers on AliExpress. Out of the options offered, choose "With 48V POE cable" and "No lens":
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002315913099.html IVG-HP203Y-AE]
Always buy a lens separately from the list in the following section.

=== Lens ===
Most cameras available on Aliexpress come with a choice of lenses. The preferred lens is a 4mm f/0.95 M16 lens providing ~88x45° field of view, which can also be bought separately for example via this link.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32876034491.html 4mm f/0.95 M16]

If you live in an area with heavy light pollution, other options are available. We wholeheartedly recommend only using lenses from the following list, as others might not be as sensitive or might have large distortion. See [[Lens Options|this page]] for more lens options.

=== Housing ===
A security camera housing is used, providing weather-tight protection without distortion introduced by plastic domes. From the options offered, select "Plate and Bracket" to get a plate for mounting a 38x38mm bare IP camera module, and an L-shaped mounting bracket.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32355130687.html IP66 CCTV Camera Housing with Plate and Bracket] This will also provide a pair of cable glands and some essential screws.

=== Power Over Ethernet Injector ===
This connects by network cables to both the Raspberry Pi and the camera sensor, and injects 48V DC onto the network cable to the camera to supply it with power. Pick a suitable plug style for your location from the options offered. An example unit is:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32787153455.html PoE Injector 48V 0.5A]

Note that over short lengths of up to about 5m you can also use plain PoE connectors. These simply feed 12V from a power supply into the ethernet and extract it at the other end. Over short distances this will supply the camera with adequate power without the need for 48V injectors.

Finally, if you are operating several cameras, you can use a PoE switch instead of a PoE injector.

=== Cooled Housing for Raspberry Pi ===
This is one of the rare cases that fulfills our needs. It has a fan which is relatively quiet, it’s sturdy, and it can fit the RTC with the addition of riser pins. '''Please buy this case''', we have tried many others, but they are not as good. From the options offered, make sure you select one that says "for Pi 4" if you are using a Raspberry Pi 4, or "for Pi 3B Plus" if you are using a Raspbery Pi 3B+. Additionally there is a case variation that is fully enclosed and has no fans; do not select this option.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32959825297.html Raspberry Pi Aluminium Enclosure with fans]

=== Real Time Clock for Raspberry Pi ===
[[File:rtc.jpg|thumb|RTC installation|200px]]

Very precise timing is essential to processing the meteor data, so unless you are confident in your internet connection an RTC module ensures the Raspberry Pi always has the precise time, even when power or internet is unreliable. AliExpress sells a pack of 10 but they are inexpensive - maybe share the extras among other camera constructors in your area.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32770348851.html DS3231 RTC]

Once you plug it into the Pi (see image on the right) and make sure the current time is correct on the Pi, open the terminal and run:

<pre>
sudo hwclock -w
</pre>

This will set the current computer time to the RTC. Every time the Pi boots up, it will read the correct time from the RTC.

=== Pin Headers ===
Required to raise the height of the Raspberry GPIO bins to allow the RTC to sit proud of the Raspberry Pi case. You only need 1 but the pack of 20 is available for only a dollar or so.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32549850046.html Tall header pins]

=== Network cabling ===
You will need two lengths of network cabling, one (probably quite short) between the Raspberry Pi and the PoE injector and the other between the PoE injector and the camera. You can purchase suitable lengths locally or on AliExpress. Some people have found the following thin flat network cable to be useful for sneaking the wire through a window or door to avoid drilling holes in walls or eaves, although it will require some extra attention to seal the cable at the camera's PoE connector:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002311509668.html Cat6 Flat Ethernet Cable]

=== Waterproof Cable Connector ===
One end of the network cable will be outside, connected into the PoE cable from the camera. This is not only carrying data but 48V DC power and needs to be kept sealed. This waterproof connector is fitted over the end of the network cable connector then after the network cable is plugged into the camera's PoE cable, the connector is locked into the end of the PoE cable. For extra weatherproofing, wrap in self-amalgamating tape.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32834472563.html RJ45 Waterproof Connector Cap]

=== 128GB Micro SD Card ===
You need at least a 64GB card but a 128GB is recommended as 20+ GB of data is collected every night. Make sure it is a fast card eg Class 10 UHS-1 or better. A card can either be purchased locally or [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32676225311.html from AliExpress]. Be warned that there is an [https://photographylife.com/fake-memory-cards ongoing problem with the production and sale of fraudulent memory cards misreporting the available storage] and even supplies from a reputable outlet can be affected - test the card you purchase. The AliExpress link has been used successfully to obtain suitable micro SD cards. If you live in North America, buy your SD cards at Costco.

=== Raspberry Pi 4 ===
These are likely to be available to be purchased locally or from a domestic online source. You need at least a 2GB RAM model. The Raspberry Pi Model 4B is now the minimum spec. Previously, a Raspberry Pi Model 3B+ was considered the minimum but these do not have the performance or memory to handle busy meteor showers. Purchase the official 5.1V 3A 15.3W power supply to go with it - most problems with Raspberry Pi units are due to inadequate power supplies being used instead of purchasing the official power pack. Note: to connect a RPi 4B to a monitor you will also need a micro-HDMI cable, so that might be necessary to add to the shopping cart also.

=== Additional items and tools ===
* If the camera lens does not arrive with two small screws to mount the lens to the camera, you will need to locate two suitable small screws.
* A tube of silicone sealant is used to seal the glass window for the housing and the front screws in the housing.
* Self-amalgamating tape can be used to wrap and seal the cable connector(s) to ensure they remain weathertight in all conditions.
* Tools such as small wire cutters or a sharp knife, various sized screwdrivers, a drill and screws to mount the camera bracket will be required.

Deprecated shopping list: [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XBSdrkwrOGPONIn5PBJ7YzH2vr7pUIxW3l8S62BQXEQ/edit LINK]

Some cameras come with a slightly different cable with a separate 12V socket for power input as shown [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/images/d/dc/Alternatecable.jpg here].
If the power input port has a small cap, then you can just cover it and use the PoE on the ethernet port. If it's open, then you will need a pair of PoE adapters (seen in that picture in the background).

To test and focus the camera you will need VLC. This software is preinstalled on the Pi but is also available for Mac, Windows or Linux from [https://www.videolan.org/vlc/ here].

= Assembly =
[Note: there's a longer version of the camera assembly section of this page available on Google Docs. Please refer to [https://docs.google.com/document/d/18TT-Jm7z9kYskl5ua07jQWD91OiyBemBnOosiNdW6nY/edit?usp=sharing this] if you need more information.]

<table><tr><td>
== Preparing the Lens ==
[[File:Irblock.jpg|thumb|right|Punching out the filter]]
* Start by removing protective covers from the sensor and lens. Take care not to touch the sensor after this is removed.

* The cameras come with an IR Block filter in the lens holder. We don't want this.
* If you have a lens like the one shown, unscrew the lens from the holder and using a screwdriver, carefully punch out the filter from the front as shown in the image on the right. If it shatters, make sure there are no shards left.

* Some lenses come with two filters, one for day and one for night. You'll be able to tell because the lens holder will have a small cable to plug into the camera board. If your lens is like this DO NOT try to punch out the filter. Instead remove the cover from the lens holder and carefully remove the clear filter. You can leave the other, reddish, daylight filter.

* Next look on the underside of the lens holder where you will see two plastic nubbins. These get in the way, so using the wire cutters snip them off. Make sure you get the base completely flat.

* Then screw the lens back into the lens holder.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Attaching the Lens to the Camera ==
[[File:lensattaching.jpg|thumb|right|Attaching the Lens]]

* Carefully unclip the circuit board from the plastic holder but do not detach the ribbon cable.

* Using the supplied screws, attach the lens to the sensor.

* Replace the circuit board in the plastic holder.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Preparing the Camera Housing =
[[File:glands.jpg|thumb|right|Glands in Place]]
* Fit the small cable gland to the housing and pass the loose ends of the Camera PoE cable up through, but don't tighten it up yet. Remember to slip the cap over the cable first!

* Fit the large cable gland in the other opening, and push a piece of plastic packing foam into it. Don't seal it up completely though this is to keep insects from getting in, but allow moisture out.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>
== Attaching the Camera ==
[[File:camerafitted.jpg|thumb|right|Camera In Mount]]

* Connect the metal camera holder to the metal plate using one 6mm M3 screw. Note the orientation of the plate as shown in the photo.

* Using three 12 mm M2 screws, connect the camera board to the metal holder passing the lens through the square hole from the back.

* Note that on some camera models, the writing on the camera board must be UPSIDE DOWN to get the correct orientation of the camera. In this orientation, the sockets for power and networking will be at the bottom of the rear of the camera board. To be sure you have it the right way up, see advice in the section on Testing and Focusing.

* Finally, remove the plastic cap on the lens.
See image for the proper camera board orientation, so the video is not sideways or upside down.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Installing the Camera in the Housing ==
[[File:camerainhousing.jpg|thumb|right|Camera In Housing]]

* Remove the plastic plate from inside the housing and discard it.

* Fit the camera on its metal plate into the housing, as close to the front glass as you can get it without actually touching. A few millimetres away should be good.

* Looking at the camera from the rear, attach the largest connector (often with blue/green wires) to the right hand socket.

* Attach the power connector to the left hand socket. This connector has several pins but only two are connected (red/black).

* The third connector (two pins, red/black) is for a powered lens and is not used so tape it back out of the way.

* Once you've secured the camera in position, you can tighten up the cable glands.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Testing and Focusing =
At this point, your camera must be tested and focused. There's no point sealing up the housing and screwing it to the wall if its not working or isn't focused !

== Testing the Camera ==
* If your camera came with a single PoE cable, connect this to a netork cable and plug the other end of the network cable into your PoE injector.

* if your camera came with a cable with separate network and power sockets, plug the "output" PoE adapter into the camera cable and plug a network cable into the PoE adapter, then connect the other end of the network cable into the other PoE adapter.
*. Connect the PoE adapter or injector into a spare socket on your home router and connect the camera power supply to it.

The Camera PoE cable lights should come on, indicating traffic is flowing. After a few seconds, it should steady down to irregular flashing. If you don't see flashing lights then check the cable connections to make sure everything is plugged in properly.

=== Find its IP Address ===
[[File:ip-scan.jpg|thumb|right|Finding the Camera Address]]
The camera should now appear as a device on your network and to test it properly you will need to find its IP Address. The easiest way to do this is using a free piece of software called [[https://www.advanced-ip-scanner.com/|Advanced IP Scanner]]. Download and run it (no need to install). Click "Scan" and wait till it finishes. The camera can usually be identified by Manufacturer 'ICP Internet Communications' or 'Motion Control Systems', though other vendor names are possible such as 'Koenig & Bauer AG' and 'Metrohm AG'. If none of the names look right you may need to experiment by trying to connect to each candidate in turn.

=== Checking the Connection ===
[[File:vlcconfig.jpg|thumb|right|VLC Network Stream]]
* Once you have the IP Address, open VLC on your Pi, Mac or Windows machine, and from the "Media" menu, select "Open Network Stream".

* Enter the following into the address box, replacing '''1.2.3.4''' with the address you got in the previous step

<blockquote>rtsp://'''1.2.3.4''':554/user=admin&password=&channel=1&stream=0.sdp</blockquote>

* After a second or two, you should get a view through the camera. If nothing comes up, check you have got the right IP address, and that the cables are secure.

* You can now double-check that you installed the camera the right way up. If the image is upside down in VLC, turn it through 180 degrees in the housing.

* If the image is upside down, do '''not''' be tempted to use firmware settings to flip or mirror the image. These cameras have a 'rolling' shutter and to work out precise timings of meteors, the RMS software compensates for the shutter. If the camera is upside down and the image then flipped, the shutter is working in the opposite direction to that expected by RMS and timings will be wrong. You '''must''' physically rotate the camera.

* Note that its entirely normal for the image to be very red and overexposed in daylight. We've removed the IR Block filter, so the camera picks up a lot of red light. This is exactly what we want.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Checking for Obstructions ==
[[File:vlcview.jpg|thumb|right|Obstructions]]
* Temporarily close the housing case up and check if it can be seen obstructing the view anywhere.

* Move the camera around on the mount to minimise the obstructions, and if necessary bend or tilt the bracket to angle the camera down a bit.

* However, don't worry if you can't eliminate all obstructions. Later on you will create a software mask to prevent these areas causing false detections.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Focusing the Camera ==

There's a whole separate section of the Wiki on [[Focusing_your_camera|focusing]], but here's the short version !!
* connect the camera to your network as above.
* Open VLC.
* Aim the camera at something at around 30-50 metres away.
* Screw the lens in and out slowly to get best focus.

Note that there's a short lag due to the network, so you should wait a second or two after each adjustment to allow the change to be reflected in VLC.

Important note: if your camera came with an electronic filter, and you have left the 'daytime' filter in place, you MUST finalise focus at night. The filters slightly alter focus, so the daytime view is not focused when the nighttime view is!.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Setting Camera Parameters ==
To operate at night, the camera must be reset to the correct gain, colour mode and video mode. There are two ways you can do this:

=== Using the CMS Software ===
CMS is a security camera software package you can [https://learncctv.com/download-cms-software/ download] from the internet. You can use the CMS software as explained in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2sq1hBwcAA this] video by Denis Vida.
Note however that you should reset the network as the LAST thing you do. The video does it a bit soon.

=== Using the RMS software (only for Pi4 systems) ===
[[File:Ping-camera.JPG|thumb|right|Making sure the Pi can see the Camera]]

* If not using the pre-built image, install RMS on the Pi as explained [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page#RMS_Software_Installation here].

* Open a Terminal window on the Pi and, using the address of your camera, first make sure the Pi can ping the camera:
<pre>ping a.b.c.d</pre>

* Run this script to reset the camera IP address. You will lose connection to the camera and see a bunch of error messages. Thats normal. Once you see a timeout message, unplug the power and network from the camera.
<pre> python -m Utils.SetCameraAddress a.b.c.d 192.168.42.10</pre>

* Now plug the camera directly into the Pi's ethernet port and run the following script to update the camera gain, video mode, and other settings.
[[File:Setting-camer-params.JPG|thumb|right|Setting Camera Params]]
<pre>Scripts/RMS_SetCameraParams.sh</pre>

* Note: If you have RMS installed on your PC, you can change the camera address from your PC instead, then connect it to the Pi and run the 2nd script.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Final Steps =
== Sealing the Housing ==
[[File:sealedhousing.jpg|thumb|right|Sealing the Housing]]
Depending on your climate, its usually advisable to seal up the camera housing against rain and snow.

From the outside, carefully go round the edge of the glass with silicone sealant. Also squirt sealant into any screw holes visible on the front of the camera housing, where it will be most exposed to rain.

But DONT seal up the hinged door because you will occasionally need to maintain the camera, and you don't want to have to prise it open with a chisel!

If there are any cable connections outside the casing, you should also seal these up thoroughhly. This writer can attest to the damage caused by water ingress into a PoE connector! Tape up or seal the connections tightly with some sort of waterproof product (I used electrical tape), but remember you may need to change the cable, so don't seal it irreversibly.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>
== Mounting Outside ==
Mount the camera somewhere with a good view of the sky and without too many 'terrestrial' obstructions such as trees, hills and buildings. Take special care to angle well away from security lights. These lights emit infrared and without the IR Block filter, the IMX cameras are extremely sensitive to this.

When locating the camera, bear in mind that you will need to be able to get to the camera to maintain it. The cameras do not need to be high up as long as they have a good view of the sky. Mine are at eye-level on my observatory shed.

As before, don't worry if its not practical to eliminate all obstructions as you can mask off any that can't be avoided.

=== Aiming the Camera ===
[[file:cameraview.jpg|thumb|right|Aiming the Camera]]
The cameras have a field of about 40-45 degrees vertically and 90 degrees horizontally so angle the camera upwards at between 35-45 degrees, higher if you have lots of nearby hills or trees. This should maximise meteor detection.

If you can arrange so that the camera view overlaps with other RMS users, thats even better. Check with the network to get an idea of a good direction.

In this photo, the camera is aimed up at about 40 degrees, just above the top of the hill behind the camera location. The parts of the hill that are visible will be masked off in the software to avoid 'meteor-wrongs' due to dog-walkers with head torches!
</td></tr></table>

= Thats it! =
Once the camera is installed, connect up the PoE adapter, attach a long network cable and run it to wherever you are going to keep the Raspberry Pi. Remember to ask permission before drilling holes in the walls... :)

= Now install the Software =
Now you can finish configuring the Raspberry Pi by installing a prebuilt image. This is covered in a separate guide [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page#RMS_Software_Installation here].

Build A Camera

2021-12-31T09:11:50Z

TasmanSkies: /* Raspberry Pi 4 */ Increased min spec to RPi 4B.

= Parts and Tools needed =
[[File:01_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|Annotated Parts List]]

Click on the image to the right to see a larger version with the parts labelled

# IMX291 sensor board
# Lens with the lens holder - 4mm, 6mm are M16 mount as pictured, while other lenses might be CS which have a different holder
# 2x M2 6mm screws for lens holder (normally come with the lens)
# Camera housing
# Small cable gland (supplied with the housing)
# Large cable gland (supplied with the housing)
# Camera Power over Ethernet (PoE) cable (sometimes called a network cable by the sellers)
# Camera board holder (supplied with the housing)
# Holder metal plate (supplied with the housing)
# 3x M2 screws, 12 mm long
# 1x M3-.50 screws, 6mm long
# Metal plate screws (supplied with the housing)
# Transparent weatherproof silicone
# Housing mounting bracket (supplied with the housing)
# Waterproof ethernet cable protector
# PoE injector to supply 48v to the camera (not shown)
# Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 2GB (or at least a 3B+ with 2GB) with official power supply (not shown)
# Raspberry Pi housing (not shown)
# 128 GB or greater microSD card (not shown)
# Self-amalgamating tape (not shown)

== Purchasing Parts ==
For consistency across the network and to make collaborative support possible, it is recommended that the camera and lenses listed below are used in preference to random handy bits that are cobbled together. The selected components are proven and known to work well. Other components can be sourced from any convenient seller.

Many components such as the Pi and microSD cards are are readily available in most locations. For other items such as lens, camera and housing, AliExpress - the Chinese equivalent of eBay - is the preferred online source as it serves most of the globe and has been reliably suppling parts to date.

NB: Links are given to current sellers, but stock levels vary and if the link is dead or the seller is out of stock, you should be able to find an equivalent from another seller on AliExpress.

=== Sensor ===
The bare IP security camera featuring a Sony IMX291 has been selected for the RMS system. This is available from many sellers on AliExpress. Out of the options offered, choose "With 48V POE cable" and "No lens":
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002315913099.html IVG-HP203Y-AE]
Always buy a lens separately from the list in the following section.

=== Lens ===
Most cameras available on Aliexpress come with a choice of lenses. The preferred lens is a 4mm f/0.95 M16 lens providing ~88x45° field of view, which can also be bought separately for example via this link.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32876034491.html 4mm f/0.95 M16]

If you live in an area with heavy light pollution, other options are available. We wholeheartedly recommend only using lenses from the following list, as others might not be as sensitive or might have large distortion. See [[Lens Options|this page]] for more lens options.

=== Housing ===
A security camera housing is used, providing weather-tight protection without distortion introduced by plastic domes. From the options offered, select "Plate and Bracket" to get a plate for mounting a 38x38mm bare IP camera module, and an L-shaped mounting bracket.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32355130687.html IP66 CCTV Camera Housing with Plate and Bracket] This will also provide a pair of cable glands and some essential screws.

=== Power Over Ethernet Injector ===
This connects by network cables to both the Raspberry Pi and the camera sensor, and injects 48V DC onto the network cable to the camera to supply it with power. Pick a suitable plug style for your location from the options offered. An example unit is:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32787153455.html PoE Injector 48V 0.5A]

Note that over short lengths of up to about 5m you can also use plain PoE connectors. These simply feed 12V from a power supply into the ethernet and extract it at the other end. Over short distances this will supply the camera with adequate power without the need for 48V injectors.

Finally, if you are operating several cameras, you can use a PoE switch instead of a PoE injector.

=== Cooled Housing for Raspberry Pi ===
This is one of the rare cases that fulfills our needs. It has a fan which is relatively quiet, it’s sturdy, and it can fit the RTC with the addition of riser pins. '''Please buy this case''', we have tried many others, but they are not as good. From the options offered, make sure you select one that says "for Pi 4" if you are using a Raspberry Pi 4, or "for Pi 3B Plus" if you are using a Raspbery Pi 3B+. Additionally there is a case variation that is fully enclosed and has no fans; do not select this option.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32959825297.html Raspberry Pi Aluminium Enclosure with fans]

=== Real Time Clock for Raspberry Pi ===
[[File:rtc.jpg|thumb|RTC installation|200px]]

Very precise timing is essential to processing the meteor data, so unless you are confident in your internet connection an RTC module ensures the Raspberry Pi always has the precise time, even when power or internet is unreliable. AliExpress sells a pack of 10 but they are inexpensive - maybe share the extras among other camera constructors in your area.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32770348851.html DS3231 RTC]

Once you plug it into the Pi (see image on the right) and make sure the current time is correct on the Pi, open the terminal and run:

<pre>
sudo hwclock -w
</pre>

This will set the current computer time to the RTC. Every time the Pi boots up, it will read the correct time from the RTC.

=== Pin Headers ===
Required to raise the height of the Raspberry GPIO bins to allow the RTC to sit proud of the Raspberry Pi case. You only need 1 but the pack of 20 is available for only a dollar or so.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32549850046.html Tall header pins]

=== Network cabling ===
You will need two lengths of network cabling, one (probably quite short) between the Raspberry Pi and the PoE injector and the other between the PoE injector and the camera. You can purchase suitable lengths locally or on AliExpress. Some people have found the following thin flat network cable to be useful for sneaking the wire through a window or door to avoid drilling holes in walls or eaves, although it will require some extra attention to seal the cable at the camera's PoE connector:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002311509668.html Cat6 Flat Ethernet Cable]

=== Waterproof Cable Connector ===
One end of the network cable will be outside, connected into the PoE cable from the camera. This is not only carrying data but 48V DC power and needs to be kept sealed. This waterproof connector is fitted over the end of the network cable connector then after the network cable is plugged into the camera's PoE cable, the connector is locked into the end of the PoE cable. For extra weatherproofing, wrap in self-amalgamating tape.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32834472563.html RJ45 Waterproof Connector Cap]

=== 128GB Micro SD Card ===
You need at least a 64GB card but a 128GB is recommended as 20+ GB of data is collected every night. Make sure it is a fast card eg Class 10 UHS-1 or better. A card can either be purchased locally or [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32676225311.html from AliExpress]. Be warned that there is an [https://photographylife.com/fake-memory-cards ongoing problem with the production and sale of fraudulent memory cards misreporting the available storage] and even supplies from a reputable outlet can be affected - test the card you purchase. The AliExpress link has been used successfully to obtain suitable micro SD cards. If you live in North America, buy your SD cards at Costco.

=== Raspberry Pi 4 ===
These are likely to be available to be purchased locally or from a domestic online source. You need at least a 2GB RAM model. The Raspberry Pi Model 4B is now the minimum spec. Previously, a Raspberry Pi Model 3B+ was considered the minimum but these do not have the performance or memory to handle busy meteor showers. Purchase the official 5.1V 3A 15.3W power supply to go with it - most problems with Raspberry Pi units are due to inadequate power supplies being used instead of purchasing the official power pack. Note: to connect a RPi 4B to a monitor you will also need a micro-HDMI cable, so that might be necessary to add to the shopping cart also.

=== Additional items and tools ===
* If the camera lens does not arrive with two small screws to mount the lens to the camera, you will need to locate two suitable small screws.
* A tube of silicone sealant is used to seal the glass window for the housing and the front screws in the housing.
* Self-amalgamating tape can be used to wrap and seal the cable connector(s) to ensure they remain weathertight in all conditions.
* Tools such as small wire cutters or a sharp knife, various sized screwdrivers, a drill and screws to mount the camera bracket will be required.

Deprecated shopping list: [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XBSdrkwrOGPONIn5PBJ7YzH2vr7pUIxW3l8S62BQXEQ/edit LINK]

Some cameras come with a slightly different cable with a separate 12V socket for power input as shown [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/images/d/dc/Alternatecable.jpg here].
If the power input port has a small cap, then you can just cover it and use the PoE on the ethernet port. If it's open, then you will need a pair of PoE adapters (seen in that picture in the background).

To test and focus the camera you will need VLC. This software is preinstalled on the Pi but is also available for Mac, Windows or Linux from [https://www.videolan.org/vlc/ here].

= Assembly =
[Note: there's a longer version of the camera assembly section of this page available on Google Docs. Please refer to [https://docs.google.com/document/d/18TT-Jm7z9kYskl5ua07jQWD91OiyBemBnOosiNdW6nY/edit?usp=sharing this] if you need more information.]

<table><tr><td>
== Preparing the Lens ==
[[File:Irblock.jpg|thumb|right|Punching out the filter]]
* Start by removing protective covers from the sensor and lens. Take care not to touch the sensor after this is removed.

* The cameras come with an IR Block filter in the lens holder. We don't want this.
* If you have a lens like the one shown, unscrew the lens from the holder and using a screwdriver, carefully punch out the filter from the front as shown in the image on the right. If it shatters, make sure there are no shards left.

* Some lenses come with two filters, one for day and one for night. You'll be able to tell because the lens holder will have a small cable to plug into the camera board. If your lens is like this DO NOT try to punch out the filter. Instead remove the cover from the lens holder and carefully remove the clear filter. You can leave the other, reddish, daylight filter.

* Next look on the underside of the lens holder where you will see two plastic nubbins. These get in the way, so using the wire cutters snip them off. Make sure you get the base completely flat.

* Then screw the lens back into the lens holder.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Attaching the Lens to the Camera ==
[[File:lensattaching.jpg|thumb|right|Attaching the Lens]]

* Carefully unclip the circuit board from the plastic holder but do not detach the ribbon cable.

* Using the supplied screws, attach the lens to the sensor.

* Replace the circuit board in the plastic holder.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Preparing the Camera Housing =
[[File:glands.jpg|thumb|right|Glands in Place]]
* Fit the small cable gland to the housing and pass the loose ends of the Camera PoE cable up through, but don't tighten it up yet. Remember to slip the cap over the cable first!

* Fit the large cable gland in the other opening, and push a piece of plastic packing foam into it. Don't seal it up completely though this is to keep insects from getting in, but allow moisture out.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>
== Attaching the Camera ==
[[File:camerafitted.jpg|thumb|right|Camera In Mount]]

* Connect the metal camera holder to the metal plate using one 6mm M3 screw. Note the orientation of the plate as shown in the photo.

* Using three 12 mm M2 screws, connect the camera board to the metal holder passing the lens through the square hole from the back.

* Note that on some camera models, the writing on the camera board must be UPSIDE DOWN to get the correct orientation of the camera. In this orientation, the sockets for power and networking will be at the bottom of the rear of the camera board. To be sure you have it the right way up, see advice in the section on Testing and Focusing.

* Finally, remove the plastic cap on the lens.
See image for the proper camera board orientation, so the video is not sideways or upside down.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Installing the Camera in the Housing ==
[[File:camerainhousing.jpg|thumb|right|Camera In Housing]]

* Remove the plastic plate from inside the housing and discard it.

* Fit the camera on its metal plate into the housing, as close to the front glass as you can get it without actually touching. A few millimetres away should be good.

* Looking at the camera from the rear, attach the largest connector (often with blue/green wires) to the right hand socket.

* Attach the power connector to the left hand socket. This connector has several pins but only two are connected (red/black).

* The third connector (two pins, red/black) is for a powered lens and is not used so tape it back out of the way.

* Once you've secured the camera in position, you can tighten up the cable glands.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Testing and Focusing =
At this point, your camera must be tested and focused. There's no point sealing up the housing and screwing it to the wall if its not working or isn't focused !

== Testing the Camera ==
* If your camera came with a single PoE cable, connect this to a netork cable and plug the other end of the network cable into your PoE injector.

* if your camera came with a cable with separate network and power sockets, plug the "output" PoE adapter into the camera cable and plug a network cable into the PoE adapter, then connect the other end of the network cable into the other PoE adapter.
*. Connect the PoE adapter or injector into a spare socket on your home router and connect the camera power supply to it.

The Camera PoE cable lights should come on, indicating traffic is flowing. After a few seconds, it should steady down to irregular flashing. If you don't see flashing lights then check the cable connections to make sure everything is plugged in properly.

=== Find its IP Address ===
[[File:ip-scan.jpg|thumb|right|Finding the Camera Address]]
The camera should now appear as a device on your network and to test it properly you will need to find its IP Address. The easiest way to do this is using a free piece of software called [[https://www.advanced-ip-scanner.com/|Advanced IP Scanner]]. Download and run it (no need to install). Click "Scan" and wait till it finishes. The camera can usually be identified by Manufacturer 'ICP Internet Communications' or 'Motion Control Systems', though other vendor names are possible such as 'Koenig & Bauer AG' and 'Metrohm AG'. If none of the names look right you may need to experiment by trying to connect to each candidate in turn.

=== Checking the Connection ===
[[File:vlcconfig.jpg|thumb|right|VLC Network Stream]]
* Once you have the IP Address, open VLC on your Pi, Mac or Windows machine, and from the "Media" menu, select "Open Network Stream".

* Enter the following into the address box, replacing '''1.2.3.4''' with the address you got in the previous step

<blockquote>rtsp://'''1.2.3.4''':554/user=admin&password=&channel=1&stream=0.sdp</blockquote>

* After a second or two, you should get a view through the camera. If nothing comes up, check you have got the right IP address, and that the cables are secure.

* You can now double-check that you installed the camera the right way up. If the image is upside down in VLC, turn it through 180 degrees in the housing.

* If the image is upside down, do '''not''' be tempted to use firmware settings to flip or mirror the image. These cameras have a 'rolling' shutter and to work out precise timings of meteors, the RMS software compensates for the shutter. If the camera is upside down and the image then flipped, the shutter is working in the opposite direction to that expected by RMS and timings will be wrong. You '''must''' physically rotate the camera.

* Note that its entirely normal for the image to be very red and overexposed in daylight. We've removed the IR Block filter, so the camera picks up a lot of red light. This is exactly what we want.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Checking for Obstructions ==
[[File:vlcview.jpg|thumb|right|Obstructions]]
* Temporarily close the housing case up and check if it can be seen obstructing the view anywhere.

* Move the camera around on the mount to minimise the obstructions, and if necessary bend or tilt the bracket to angle the camera down a bit.

* However, don't worry if you can't eliminate all obstructions. Later on you will create a software mask to prevent these areas causing false detections.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Focusing the Camera ==

There's a whole separate section of the Wiki on [[Focusing_your_camera|focusing]], but here's the short version !!
* connect the camera to your network as above.
* Open VLC.
* Aim the camera at something at around 30-50 metres away.
* Screw the lens in and out slowly to get best focus.

Note that there's a short lag due to the network, so you should wait a second or two after each adjustment to allow the change to be reflected in VLC.

Important note: if your camera came with an electronic filter, and you have left the 'daytime' filter in place, you MUST finalise focus at night. The filters slightly alter focus, so the daytime view is not focused when the nighttime view is!.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Setting Camera Parameters ==
To operate at night, the camera must be reset to the correct gain, colour mode and video mode. There are two ways you can do this:

=== Using the CMS Software ===
CMS is a security camera software package you can [https://learncctv.com/download-cms-software/ download] from the internet. You can use the CMS software as explained in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2sq1hBwcAA this] video by Denis Vida.
Note however that you should reset the network as the LAST thing you do. The video does it a bit soon.

=== Using the RMS software (only for Pi4 systems) ===
[[File:Ping-camera.JPG|thumb|right|Making sure the Pi can see the Camera]]

* If not using the pre-built image, install RMS on the Pi as explained [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page#RMS_Software_Installation here].

* Open a Terminal window on the Pi and, using the address of your camera, first make sure the Pi can ping the camera:
<pre>ping a.b.c.d</pre>

* Run this script to reset the camera IP address. You will lose connection to the camera and see a bunch of error messages. Thats normal. Once you see a timeout message, unplug the power and network from the camera.
<pre> python -m Utils.SetCameraAddress a.b.c.d 192.168.42.10</pre>

* Now plug the camera directly into the Pi's ethernet port and run the following script to update the camera gain, video mode, and other settings.
[[File:Setting-camer-params.JPG|thumb|right|Setting Camera Params]]
<pre>Scripts/RMS_SetCameraParams.sh</pre>

* Note: If you have RMS installed on your PC, you can change the camera address from your PC instead, then connect it to the Pi and run the 2nd script.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Final Steps =
== Sealing the Housing ==
[[File:sealedhousing.jpg|thumb|right|Sealing the Housing]]
Depending on your climate, its usually advisable to seal up the camera housing against rain and snow.

From the outside, carefully go round the edge of the glass with silicone sealant. Also squirt sealant into any screw holes visible on the front of the camera housing, where it will be most exposed to rain.

But DONT seal up the hinged door because you will occasionally need to maintain the camera, and you don't want to have to prise it open with a chisel!

If there are any cable connections outside the casing, you should also seal these up thoroughhly. This writer can attest to the damage caused by water ingress into a PoE connector! Tape up or seal the connections tightly with some sort of waterproof product (I used electrical tape), but remember you may need to change the cable, so don't seal it irreversibly.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>
== Mounting Outside ==
Mount the camera somewhere with a good view of the sky and without too many 'terrestrial' obstructions such as trees, hills and buildings. Take special care to angle well away from security lights. These lights emit infrared and without the IR Block filter, the IMX cameras are extremely sensitive to this.

When locating the camera, bear in mind that you will need to be able to get to the camera to maintain it. The cameras do not need to be high up as long as they have a good view of the sky. Mine are at eye-level on my observatory shed.

As before, don't worry if its not practical to eliminate all obstructions as you can mask off any that can't be avoided.

=== Aiming the Camera ===
[[file:cameraview.jpg|thumb|right|Aiming the Camera]]
The cameras have a field of about 40-45 degrees vertically and 90 degrees horizontally so angle the camera upwards at between 35-45 degrees, higher if you have lots of nearby hills or trees. This should maximise meteor detection.

If you can arrange so that the camera view overlaps with other RMS users, thats even better. Check with the network to get an idea of a good direction.

In this photo, the camera is aimed up at about 40 degrees, just above the top of the hill behind the camera location. The parts of the hill that are visible will be masked off in the software to avoid 'meteor-wrongs' due to dog-walkers with head torches!
</td></tr></table>

= Thats it! =
Once the camera is installed, connect up the PoE adapter, attach a long network cable and run it to wherever you are going to keep the Raspberry Pi. Remember to ask permission before drilling holes in the walls... :)

= Now install the Software =
Now you can finish configuring the Raspberry Pi by installing a prebuilt image. This is covered in a separate guide [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page#RMS_Software_Installation here].

Build A Camera

2021-08-05T05:31:36Z

TasmanSkies: /* Waterproof Cable Connector */ added a bullet

= Parts and Tools needed =
[[File:01_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|Annotated Parts List]]

Click on the image to the right to see a larger version with the parts labelled

# IMX291 sensor board
# Lens with the lens holder - 4mm, 6mm are M16 mount as pictured, while other lenses might be CS which have a different holder
# 2x M2 screws
# Camera housing
# Small cable gland (supplied with the housing)
# Large cable gland (supplied with the housing)
# Camera Power over Ethernet (PoE) cable (sometimes called a network cable by the sellers)
# Camera board holder (supplied with the housing)
# Holder metal plate (supplied with the housing)
# 3x M2 screws, 12 mm long
# 1x M3-.50 screws, 6mm long
# Metal plate screws (supplied with the housing)
# Transparent weatherproof silicone
# Housing mounting bracket (supplied with the housing)
# Waterproof ethernet cable protector
# PoE injector to supply 48v to the camera (not shown)
# Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 2GB (or at least a 3B+ with 2GB) with official power supply (not shown)
# Raspberry Pi housing (not shown)
# 128 GB or greater microSD card (not shown)
# Self-amalgamating tape (not shown)

== Purchasing Parts ==
For consistency across the network and to make collaborative support possible, it is recommended that the components listed below are used in preference to random handy bits that are cobbled together. The selected components are proven and known to work well.

Some components are readily available in most locations, such as Raspberry Pi and microSD cards. For all other items, AliExpress is the preferred online source as it serves most of the globe and has been reliably suppling parts to date.

=== Sensor ===
The following bare IP security camera featuring a Sony IMX291 has been selected for the RMS system. Out of the options offered, choose "With 48V POE cable" and "No Lens". The cost is typically less than US$45 plus shipping.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002315913099.html IVG-HP203Y-AE]

=== Lens ===
A suitable lens can be obtained for less than US$20 plus shipping. The preferred lens is a 4mm f/0.95 M16 lens providing ~88x45° field of view:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32876034491.html 4mm f/0.95 M16]

In very light-polluted city skies, an alternative is the 8mm f/0.9 M16 lens which provides ~40x20° field of view:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32985863629.html 8mm f/0.95 M16]

Some stations have also successfully utilized the following 6mm lens with a ~55x30° field of view:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32875689463.html 6mm f/0.95 M16]

Also on the approved lens list is the following 16mm f/1.0 lens that provides only a limited 20x10° field of view:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32857028953.html 16mm f/1.0 CS]
Note that this lens also requires a special CS lens mount, not supplied with the lens:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32833667462.html CS lens mount]

=== Housing ===
A security camera housing is used, providing weather-tight protection without distortion introduced by plastic domes. From the options offered, select "Plate and Bracket" to get a plate for mounting a 38x38mm bare IP camera module, and an L-shaped mounting bracket. The housing should be available for less than US$35 plus shipping.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32355130687.html IP66 CCTV Camera Housing with Plate and Bracket] This will also provide a pair of cable glands and some essential screws.

=== Power Over Ethernet Injector ===
This connects by network cables to both the Raspberry Pi and the camera sensor, and injects 48V DC onto the network cable to the camera to supply it with power. Pick a suitable plug style for your location from the options offered. This unit should be available for less than US$10 plus shipping.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32787153455.html PoE Injector 48V 0.5A]

=== Cooled Housing for Raspberry Pi ===
This is one of the rare cases that fulfills our needs. It has a fan which is relatively quiet, it’s sturdy, and it can fit the RTC with the addition of riser pins. '''Please buy this case''', we have tried many others, but they are not as good. From the options offered, make sure you select one that says "for Pi 4" if you are using a Raspberry Pi 4, or "for Pi 3B Plus" if you are using a Raspbery Pi 3B+. Additionally there is a case variation that is fully enclosed and has no fans; do not select this option.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32959825297.html Raspberry Pi Aluminium Enclosure with fans]

=== Real Time Clock for Raspberry Pi ===
As very precise timing is essential to processing the meteor data, an RTC module ensures the Raspberry Pi always has the precise time, even when power or internet is unreliable. AliExpress sells a pack of 10 but they are inexpensive - maybe share the extras among other camera constructors in your area. A pack of 10 should cost just over US$20 plus shipping.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32770348851.html DS3231 RTC]

=== Pin Headers ===
Required to raise the height of the Raspberry GPIO bins to allow the RTC to sit proud of the Raspberry Pi case. You only need 1 but the pack of 20 is available for less than US$1 plus shipping.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32549850046.html Tall header pins]

=== Network cabling ===
You will need two lengths of network cabling, one (probably quite short) between the Raspberry Pi and the PoE injector and the other between the PoE injector and the camera. You can purchase suitable lengths locally or on AliExpress. Some people have found the following thin flat network cable to be useful for sneaking the wire through a window or door to avoid drilling holes in walls or eaves, although it will require some extra attention to seal the cable at the camera's PoE connector:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002311509668.html Cat6 Flat Ethernet Cable]

=== Waterproof Cable Connector ===
One end of the network cable will be outside, connected into the PoE cable from the camera. This is not only carrying data but 48V DC power and needs to be kept sealed. This waterproof connector is fitted over the end of the network cable connector then after the network cable is plugged into the camera's PoE cable, the connector is locked into the end of the PoE cable. For extra weatherproofing, wrap in self-amalgamating tape. A pack of 10 waterproof connector caps is less than US$10 plus shipping.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32834472563.html RJ45 Waterproof Connector Cap]

=== 128GB Micro SD Card ===
You need at least a 64GB card but a 128GB is recommended as 20+ GB of data is collected every night. Make sure it is a fast card eg Class 10 UHS-1 or better. A card can either be purchased locally or [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32676225311.html from AliExpress]. Be warned that there is an [https://photographylife.com/fake-memory-cards ongoing problem with the production and sale of fraudulent memory cards misreporting the available storage] and even supplies from a reputable outlet can be affected - test the card you purchase. The AliExpress link has been used successfully to obtain suitable micro SD cards.

=== Raspberry Pi 4 ===
These are likely to be available to be purchased locally or from a domestic online source. You need at least a 2GB RAM model. The Raspberry Pi Model 3B+ is the minimum specification, and a Raspberry Pi Model 4B is preferred. Purchase the official 5.1V 3A 15.3W power supply to go with it - most problems with Raspberry Pi units are due to inadequate power supplies being used instead of purchasing the official power pack. Note: to connect a RPi 4B to a monitor you will also need a micro-HDMI cable, so that might be necessary to add to the shopping cart also.

=== Additional items and tools ===
* If the camera lens does not arrive with two small screws to mount the lens to the camera, you will need to locate two suitable small screws.
* A tube of silicone sealant is used to seal the glass window for the housing and the front screws in the housing.
* Self-amalgamating tape can be used to wrap and seal the cable connector(s) to ensure they remain weathertight in all conditions.
* Tools such as small wire cutters or a sharp knife, various sized screwdrivers, a drill and screws to mount the camera bracket will be required.

Deprecated shopping list: [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XBSdrkwrOGPONIn5PBJ7YzH2vr7pUIxW3l8S62BQXEQ/edit LINK]

Some cameras come with a slightly different cable with a separate 12v socket for power input as shown [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/images/d/dc/Alternatecable.jpg here]. If you have this cable you will need a pair of PoE adapters (seen in that picture in the background). If your camera has a single cable as shown in the main picture, you will need a PoE injector or single adapter.

To test and focus the camera you will need VLC. This software is preinstalled on the Pi but is also available for Mac, Windows or Linux from [https://www.videolan.org/vlc/ here].

= Assembly =
[Note: there's a longer version of the camera assembly section of this page available on Google Docs. Please refer to [https://docs.google.com/document/d/18TT-Jm7z9kYskl5ua07jQWD91OiyBemBnOosiNdW6nY/edit?usp=sharing this] if you need more information.]

<table><tr><td>
== Preparing the Lens ==
[[File:Irblock.jpg|thumb|right|Punching out the filter]]
* Start by removing protective covers from the sensor and lens. Take care not to touch the sensor after this is removed.

* The cameras come with an IR Block filter in the lens holder. We don't want this.
* If you have a lens like the one shown, unscrew the lens from the holder and using a screwdriver, carefully punch out the filter from the front as shown in the image on the right. If it shatters, make sure there are no shards left.

* Some lenses come with two filters, one for day and one for night. You'll be able to tell because the lens holder will have a small cable to plug into the camera board. If your lens is like this DO NOT try to punch out the filter. Instead remove the cover from the lens holder and carefully remove the clear filter. You can leave the other, reddish, daylight filter.

* Next look on the underside of the lens holder where you will see two plastic nubbins. These get in the way, so using the wire cutters snip them off. Make sure you get the base completely flat.

* Then screw the lens back into the lens holder.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Attaching the Lens to the Camera ==
[[File:lensattaching.jpg|thumb|right|Attaching the Lens]]

* Carefully unclip the circuit board from the plastic holder but do not detach the ribbon cable.

* Using the supplied screws, attach the lens to the sensor.

* Replace the circuit board in the plastic holder.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Preparing the Camera Housing =
[[File:glands.jpg|thumb|right|Glands in Place]]
* Fit the small cable gland to the housing and pass the loose ends of the Camera PoE cable up through, but don't tighten it up yet. Remember to slip the cap over the cable first!

* Fit the large cable gland in the other opening, and push a piece of plastic packing foam into it. Don't seal it up completely though this is to keep insects from getting in, but allow moisture out.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>
== Attaching the Camera ==
[[File:camerafitted.jpg|thumb|right|Camera In Mount]]

* Connect the metal camera holder to the metal plate using one 6mm M3 screw. Note the orientation of the plate as shown in the photo.

* Using three 12 mm M2 screws, connect the camera board to the metal holder passing the lens through the square hole from the back.

* Note that the writing on the camera board must be UPSIDE DOWN to get the correct orientation of the camera. In this orientation, the sockets for power and networking will be at the bottom of the rear of the camera board.

* Finally, remove the plastic cap on the lens.
See image for the proper camera board orientation, so the video is not sideways or upside down.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Installing the Camera in the Housing ==
[[File:camerainhousing.jpg|thumb|right|Camera In Housing]]

* Remove the plastic plate from inside the housing and discard it.

* Fit the camera on its metal plate into the housing, as close to the front glass as you can get it without actually touching. A few millimetres away should be good.

* Looking at the camera from the rear, attach the largest connector (often with blue/green wires) to the right hand socket.

* Attach the power connector to the left hand socket. This connector has several pins but only two are connected (red/black).

* The third connector (two pins, red/black) is for a powered lens and is not used so tape it back out of the way.

* Once you've secured the camera in position, you can tighten up the cable glands.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Testing and Focusing =
At this point, your camera must be tested and focused. There's no point sealing up the housing and screwing it to the wall if its not working or isn't focused !

== Testing the Camera ==
* If your camera came with a single PoE cable, connect this to a netork cable and plug the other end of the network cable into your PoE injector.

* if your camera came with a cable with separate network and power sockets, plug the "output" PoE adapter into the camera cable and plug a network cable into the PoE adapter, then connect the other end of the network cable into the other PoE adapter.
*. Connect the PoE adapter or injector into a spare socket on your home router and connect the camera power supply to it.

The Camera PoE cable lights should come on, indicating traffic is flowing. After a few seconds, it should steady down to irregular flashing. If you don't see flashing lights then check the cable connections to make sure everything is plugged in properly.

=== Find its IP Address ===
[[File:ip-scan.jpg|thumb|right|Finding the Camera Address]]
The camera should now appear as a device on your network and to test it properly you will need to find its IP Address. The easiest way to do this is using a free piece of software called [[https://www.advanced-ip-scanner.com/|Advanced IP Scanner]]. Download and run it (no need to install). Click "Scan" and wait till it finishes. The camera can be identified by Manufacturer 'ICP Internet Communications' or 'Motion Control Systems' (see screenshot - i have five cameras!).

=== Checking the Connection ===
[[File:vlcconfig.jpg|thumb|right|VLC Network Stream]]
* Once you have the IP Address, open VLC on your Pi, Mac or Windows machine, and from the "Media" menu, select "Open Network Stream".

* Enter the following into the address box, replacing '''1.2.3.4''' with the address you got in the previous step

<blockquote>rtsp://'''1.2.3.4''':554/user=admin&password=&channel=1&stream=0.sdp</blockquote>

* After a second or two, you should get a view through the camera. If nothing comes up, check you have got the right IP address, and that the cables are secure.

* You can now double-check that you installed the camera the right way up...

* Note that its entirely normal for the image to be very red and overexposed in daylight. We've removed the IR Block filter, so the camera picks up a lot of red light. This is exactly what we want.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Checking for Obstructions ==
[[File:vlcview.jpg|thumb|right|Obstructions]]
* You should also close the housing case up and check if it can be seen obstructing the view anywhere.

* Move the camera around on the mount to minimise the obstructions, and if necessary bend or tilt the bracket to angle the camera down a bit.

* However, don't worry if you can't eliminate all obstructions. Later on you will create a software mask to prevent these areas causing false detections.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Focusing the Camera ==

There's a whole separate section of the Wiki on [[Focusing_your_camera|focusing]], but here's the short version !!
* connect the camera to your network as above.
* Open VLC.
* Aim the camera at something at around 30-50 metres away.
* Screw the lens in and out slowly to get best focus.

Note that there's a short lag due to the network, so you should wait a second or two after each adjustment to allow the change to be reflected in VLC.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Setting Camera Parameters ==
To operate at night, the camera must be reset to the correct gain, colour mode and video mode. There are two ways you can do this:

=== Using the CMS Software ===
CMS is a security camera software package you can [https://learncctv.com/download-cms-software/ download] from the internet. You can use the CMS software as explained in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2sq1hBwcAA this] video by Denis Vida.
Note however that you should reset the network as the LAST thing you do. The video does it a bit soon.

=== Using the RMS software (currently experimental and only for Pi4 systems) ===
[[File:Ping-camera.JPG|thumb|right|Making sure the Pi can see the Camera]]

<span style="color:red">'' NB: this relies on code still being tested - contact us via the groups.io forum if you want to try this method''</span>
* Install RMS on a Pi as explained [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page#RMS_Software_Installation here].

* Open a Terminal window on the Pi and, using the address of your camera, first make sure the Pi can ping the camera:
<pre>ping a.b.c.d</pre>

* Run this script to reset the camera IP address. You will lose connection to the camera and see a bunch of error messages. Thats normal.
<pre> python Utils.SetCameraAddress a.b.c.d 192.168.42.10</pre>

* Now plug the camera directly into the Pi's ethernet port and run the following script to update the camera gain, video mode, and other settings.
[[File:Setting-camer-params.JPG|thumb|right|Setting Camera Params]]
<pre>Scripts/RMS_SetCameraParams.sh</pre>

* Note: If you have RMS installed on your PC, you can change the camera address from your PC instead, then connect it to the Pi and run the 2nd script.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Final Steps =
== Sealing the Housing ==
[[File:sealedhousing.jpg|thumb|right|Sealing the Housing]]
Depending on your climate, its usually advisable to seal up the camera housing against rain and snow.

From the outside, carefully go round the edge of the glass with silicone sealant. Also squirt sealant into any screw holes visible on the front of the camera housing, where it will be most exposed to rain.

But DONT seal up the hinged door because you will occasionally need to maintain the camera, and you don't want to have to prise it open with a chisel!
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>
== Mounting Outside ==
Mount the camera somewhere with a good view of the sky and without too many 'terrestrial' obstructions such as trees, hills and buildings. Take special care to angle well away from security lights. These lights emit infrared and without the IR Block filter, the IMX cameras are extremely sensitive to this.

When locating the camera, bear in mind that you will need to be able to get to the camera to maintain it. The cameras do not need to be high up as long as they have a good view of the sky. Mine are at eye-level on my observatory shed.

As before, don't worry if its not practical to eliminate all obstructions as you can mask off any that can't be avoided.

=== Aiming the Camera ===
[[file:cameraview.jpg|thumb|right|Aiming the Camera]]
The cameras have a field of about 40-45 degrees vertically and 90 degrees horizontally so angle the camera upwards at between 35-45 degrees. This should maximise meteor detection.

If you can arrange so that the camera view overlaps with other RMS users, thats even better. Check with the network to get an idea of a good direction.

In this photo, the camera is aimed up at about 40 degrees, just above the top of the hill behind the camera location. The parts of the hill that are visible will be masked off in the software to avoid 'meteor-wrongs' due to dog-walkers with head torches!
</td></tr></table>

= Thats it! =
Once the camera is installed, connect up the PoE adapter, attach a long network cable and run it to wherever you are going to keep the Raspberry Pi. Remember to ask permission before drilling holes in the walls... :)

= Now install the Software =
Now you can finish configuring the Raspberry Pi by installing a prebuilt image. This is covered in a separate guide [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page#RMS_Software_Installation here].

Build A Camera

2021-08-05T05:27:37Z

TasmanSkies: /* Real Time Clock for Raspberry Pi */ typo

= Parts and Tools needed =
[[File:01_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|Annotated Parts List]]

Click on the image to the right to see a larger version with the parts labelled

# IMX291 sensor board
# Lens with the lens holder - 4mm, 6mm are M16 mount as pictured, while other lenses might be CS which have a different holder
# 2x M2 screws
# Camera housing
# Small cable gland (supplied with the housing)
# Large cable gland (supplied with the housing)
# Camera Power over Ethernet (PoE) cable (sometimes called a network cable by the sellers)
# Camera board holder (supplied with the housing)
# Holder metal plate (supplied with the housing)
# 3x M2 screws, 12 mm long
# 1x M3-.50 screws, 6mm long
# Metal plate screws (supplied with the housing)
# Transparent weatherproof silicone
# Housing mounting bracket (supplied with the housing)
# Waterproof ethernet cable protector
# PoE injector to supply 48v to the camera (not shown)
# Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 2GB (or at least a 3B+ with 2GB) with official power supply (not shown)
# Raspberry Pi housing (not shown)
# 128 GB or greater microSD card (not shown)
# Self-amalgamating tape (not shown)

== Purchasing Parts ==
For consistency across the network and to make collaborative support possible, it is recommended that the components listed below are used in preference to random handy bits that are cobbled together. The selected components are proven and known to work well.

Some components are readily available in most locations, such as Raspberry Pi and microSD cards. For all other items, AliExpress is the preferred online source as it serves most of the globe and has been reliably suppling parts to date.

=== Sensor ===
The following bare IP security camera featuring a Sony IMX291 has been selected for the RMS system. Out of the options offered, choose "With 48V POE cable" and "No Lens". The cost is typically less than US$45 plus shipping.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002315913099.html IVG-HP203Y-AE]

=== Lens ===
A suitable lens can be obtained for less than US$20 plus shipping. The preferred lens is a 4mm f/0.95 M16 lens providing ~88x45° field of view:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32876034491.html 4mm f/0.95 M16]

In very light-polluted city skies, an alternative is the 8mm f/0.9 M16 lens which provides ~40x20° field of view:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32985863629.html 8mm f/0.95 M16]

Some stations have also successfully utilized the following 6mm lens with a ~55x30° field of view:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32875689463.html 6mm f/0.95 M16]

Also on the approved lens list is the following 16mm f/1.0 lens that provides only a limited 20x10° field of view:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32857028953.html 16mm f/1.0 CS]
Note that this lens also requires a special CS lens mount, not supplied with the lens:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32833667462.html CS lens mount]

=== Housing ===
A security camera housing is used, providing weather-tight protection without distortion introduced by plastic domes. From the options offered, select "Plate and Bracket" to get a plate for mounting a 38x38mm bare IP camera module, and an L-shaped mounting bracket. The housing should be available for less than US$35 plus shipping.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32355130687.html IP66 CCTV Camera Housing with Plate and Bracket] This will also provide a pair of cable glands and some essential screws.

=== Power Over Ethernet Injector ===
This connects by network cables to both the Raspberry Pi and the camera sensor, and injects 48V DC onto the network cable to the camera to supply it with power. Pick a suitable plug style for your location from the options offered. This unit should be available for less than US$10 plus shipping.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32787153455.html PoE Injector 48V 0.5A]

=== Cooled Housing for Raspberry Pi ===
This is one of the rare cases that fulfills our needs. It has a fan which is relatively quiet, it’s sturdy, and it can fit the RTC with the addition of riser pins. '''Please buy this case''', we have tried many others, but they are not as good. From the options offered, make sure you select one that says "for Pi 4" if you are using a Raspberry Pi 4, or "for Pi 3B Plus" if you are using a Raspbery Pi 3B+. Additionally there is a case variation that is fully enclosed and has no fans; do not select this option.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32959825297.html Raspberry Pi Aluminium Enclosure with fans]

=== Real Time Clock for Raspberry Pi ===
As very precise timing is essential to processing the meteor data, an RTC module ensures the Raspberry Pi always has the precise time, even when power or internet is unreliable. AliExpress sells a pack of 10 but they are inexpensive - maybe share the extras among other camera constructors in your area. A pack of 10 should cost just over US$20 plus shipping.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32770348851.html DS3231 RTC]

=== Pin Headers ===
Required to raise the height of the Raspberry GPIO bins to allow the RTC to sit proud of the Raspberry Pi case. You only need 1 but the pack of 20 is available for less than US$1 plus shipping.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32549850046.html Tall header pins]

=== Network cabling ===
You will need two lengths of network cabling, one (probably quite short) between the Raspberry Pi and the PoE injector and the other between the PoE injector and the camera. You can purchase suitable lengths locally or on AliExpress. Some people have found the following thin flat network cable to be useful for sneaking the wire through a window or door to avoid drilling holes in walls or eaves, although it will require some extra attention to seal the cable at the camera's PoE connector:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002311509668.html Cat6 Flat Ethernet Cable]

=== Waterproof Cable Connector ===
One end of the network cable will be outside, connected into the PoE cable from the camera. This is not only carrying data but 48V DC power and needs to be kept sealed. This waterproof connector is fitted over the end of the network cable connector then after the network cable is plugged into the camera's PoE cable, the connector is locked into the end of the PoE cable. For extra weatherproofing, wrap in self-amalgamating tape. A pack of 10 waterproof connector caps is less than US$10 plus shipping.
[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32834472563.html RJ45 Waterproof Connector Cap]

=== 128GB Micro SD Card ===
You need at least a 64GB card but a 128GB is recommended as 20+ GB of data is collected every night. Make sure it is a fast card eg Class 10 UHS-1 or better. A card can either be purchased locally or [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32676225311.html from AliExpress]. Be warned that there is an [https://photographylife.com/fake-memory-cards ongoing problem with the production and sale of fraudulent memory cards misreporting the available storage] and even supplies from a reputable outlet can be affected - test the card you purchase. The AliExpress link has been used successfully to obtain suitable micro SD cards.

=== Raspberry Pi 4 ===
These are likely to be available to be purchased locally or from a domestic online source. You need at least a 2GB RAM model. The Raspberry Pi Model 3B+ is the minimum specification, and a Raspberry Pi Model 4B is preferred. Purchase the official 5.1V 3A 15.3W power supply to go with it - most problems with Raspberry Pi units are due to inadequate power supplies being used instead of purchasing the official power pack. Note: to connect a RPi 4B to a monitor you will also need a micro-HDMI cable, so that might be necessary to add to the shopping cart also.

=== Additional items and tools ===
* If the camera lens does not arrive with two small screws to mount the lens to the camera, you will need to locate two suitable small screws.
* A tube of silicone sealant is used to seal the glass window for the housing and the front screws in the housing.
* Self-amalgamating tape can be used to wrap and seal the cable connector(s) to ensure they remain weathertight in all conditions.
* Tools such as small wire cutters or a sharp knife, various sized screwdrivers, a drill and screws to mount the camera bracket will be required.

Deprecated shopping list: [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XBSdrkwrOGPONIn5PBJ7YzH2vr7pUIxW3l8S62BQXEQ/edit LINK]

Some cameras come with a slightly different cable with a separate 12v socket for power input as shown [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/images/d/dc/Alternatecable.jpg here]. If you have this cable you will need a pair of PoE adapters (seen in that picture in the background). If your camera has a single cable as shown in the main picture, you will need a PoE injector or single adapter.

To test and focus the camera you will need VLC. This software is preinstalled on the Pi but is also available for Mac, Windows or Linux from [https://www.videolan.org/vlc/ here].

= Assembly =
[Note: there's a longer version of the camera assembly section of this page available on Google Docs. Please refer to [https://docs.google.com/document/d/18TT-Jm7z9kYskl5ua07jQWD91OiyBemBnOosiNdW6nY/edit?usp=sharing this] if you need more information.]

<table><tr><td>
== Preparing the Lens ==
[[File:Irblock.jpg|thumb|right|Punching out the filter]]
* Start by removing protective covers from the sensor and lens. Take care not to touch the sensor after this is removed.

* The cameras come with an IR Block filter in the lens holder. We don't want this.
* If you have a lens like the one shown, unscrew the lens from the holder and using a screwdriver, carefully punch out the filter from the front as shown in the image on the right. If it shatters, make sure there are no shards left.

* Some lenses come with two filters, one for day and one for night. You'll be able to tell because the lens holder will have a small cable to plug into the camera board. If your lens is like this DO NOT try to punch out the filter. Instead remove the cover from the lens holder and carefully remove the clear filter. You can leave the other, reddish, daylight filter.

* Next look on the underside of the lens holder where you will see two plastic nubbins. These get in the way, so using the wire cutters snip them off. Make sure you get the base completely flat.

* Then screw the lens back into the lens holder.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Attaching the Lens to the Camera ==
[[File:lensattaching.jpg|thumb|right|Attaching the Lens]]

* Carefully unclip the circuit board from the plastic holder but do not detach the ribbon cable.

* Using the supplied screws, attach the lens to the sensor.

* Replace the circuit board in the plastic holder.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Preparing the Camera Housing =
[[File:glands.jpg|thumb|right|Glands in Place]]
* Fit the small cable gland to the housing and pass the loose ends of the Camera PoE cable up through, but don't tighten it up yet. Remember to slip the cap over the cable first!

* Fit the large cable gland in the other opening, and push a piece of plastic packing foam into it. Don't seal it up completely though this is to keep insects from getting in, but allow moisture out.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>
== Attaching the Camera ==
[[File:camerafitted.jpg|thumb|right|Camera In Mount]]

* Connect the metal camera holder to the metal plate using one 6mm M3 screw. Note the orientation of the plate as shown in the photo.

* Using three 12 mm M2 screws, connect the camera board to the metal holder passing the lens through the square hole from the back.

* Note that the writing on the camera board must be UPSIDE DOWN to get the correct orientation of the camera. In this orientation, the sockets for power and networking will be at the bottom of the rear of the camera board.

* Finally, remove the plastic cap on the lens.
See image for the proper camera board orientation, so the video is not sideways or upside down.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Installing the Camera in the Housing ==
[[File:camerainhousing.jpg|thumb|right|Camera In Housing]]

* Remove the plastic plate from inside the housing and discard it.

* Fit the camera on its metal plate into the housing, as close to the front glass as you can get it without actually touching. A few millimetres away should be good.

* Looking at the camera from the rear, attach the largest connector (often with blue/green wires) to the right hand socket.

* Attach the power connector to the left hand socket. This connector has several pins but only two are connected (red/black).

* The third connector (two pins, red/black) is for a powered lens and is not used so tape it back out of the way.

* Once you've secured the camera in position, you can tighten up the cable glands.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Testing and Focusing =
At this point, your camera must be tested and focused. There's no point sealing up the housing and screwing it to the wall if its not working or isn't focused !

== Testing the Camera ==
* If your camera came with a single PoE cable, connect this to a netork cable and plug the other end of the network cable into your PoE injector.

* if your camera came with a cable with separate network and power sockets, plug the "output" PoE adapter into the camera cable and plug a network cable into the PoE adapter, then connect the other end of the network cable into the other PoE adapter.
*. Connect the PoE adapter or injector into a spare socket on your home router and connect the camera power supply to it.

The Camera PoE cable lights should come on, indicating traffic is flowing. After a few seconds, it should steady down to irregular flashing. If you don't see flashing lights then check the cable connections to make sure everything is plugged in properly.

=== Find its IP Address ===
[[File:ip-scan.jpg|thumb|right|Finding the Camera Address]]
The camera should now appear as a device on your network and to test it properly you will need to find its IP Address. The easiest way to do this is using a free piece of software called [[https://www.advanced-ip-scanner.com/|Advanced IP Scanner]]. Download and run it (no need to install). Click "Scan" and wait till it finishes. The camera can be identified by Manufacturer 'ICP Internet Communications' or 'Motion Control Systems' (see screenshot - i have five cameras!).

=== Checking the Connection ===
[[File:vlcconfig.jpg|thumb|right|VLC Network Stream]]
* Once you have the IP Address, open VLC on your Pi, Mac or Windows machine, and from the "Media" menu, select "Open Network Stream".

* Enter the following into the address box, replacing '''1.2.3.4''' with the address you got in the previous step

<blockquote>rtsp://'''1.2.3.4''':554/user=admin&password=&channel=1&stream=0.sdp</blockquote>

* After a second or two, you should get a view through the camera. If nothing comes up, check you have got the right IP address, and that the cables are secure.

* You can now double-check that you installed the camera the right way up...

* Note that its entirely normal for the image to be very red and overexposed in daylight. We've removed the IR Block filter, so the camera picks up a lot of red light. This is exactly what we want.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Checking for Obstructions ==
[[File:vlcview.jpg|thumb|right|Obstructions]]
* You should also close the housing case up and check if it can be seen obstructing the view anywhere.

* Move the camera around on the mount to minimise the obstructions, and if necessary bend or tilt the bracket to angle the camera down a bit.

* However, don't worry if you can't eliminate all obstructions. Later on you will create a software mask to prevent these areas causing false detections.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Focusing the Camera ==

There's a whole separate section of the Wiki on [[Focusing_your_camera|focusing]], but here's the short version !!
* connect the camera to your network as above.
* Open VLC.
* Aim the camera at something at around 30-50 metres away.
* Screw the lens in and out slowly to get best focus.

Note that there's a short lag due to the network, so you should wait a second or two after each adjustment to allow the change to be reflected in VLC.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Setting Camera Parameters ==
To operate at night, the camera must be reset to the correct gain, colour mode and video mode. There are two ways you can do this:

=== Using the CMS Software ===
CMS is a security camera software package you can [https://learncctv.com/download-cms-software/ download] from the internet. You can use the CMS software as explained in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2sq1hBwcAA this] video by Denis Vida.
Note however that you should reset the network as the LAST thing you do. The video does it a bit soon.

=== Using the RMS software (currently experimental and only for Pi4 systems) ===
[[File:Ping-camera.JPG|thumb|right|Making sure the Pi can see the Camera]]

<span style="color:red">'' NB: this relies on code still being tested - contact us via the groups.io forum if you want to try this method''</span>
* Install RMS on a Pi as explained [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page#RMS_Software_Installation here].

* Open a Terminal window on the Pi and, using the address of your camera, first make sure the Pi can ping the camera:
<pre>ping a.b.c.d</pre>

* Run this script to reset the camera IP address. You will lose connection to the camera and see a bunch of error messages. Thats normal.
<pre> python Utils.SetCameraAddress a.b.c.d 192.168.42.10</pre>

* Now plug the camera directly into the Pi's ethernet port and run the following script to update the camera gain, video mode, and other settings.
[[File:Setting-camer-params.JPG|thumb|right|Setting Camera Params]]
<pre>Scripts/RMS_SetCameraParams.sh</pre>

* Note: If you have RMS installed on your PC, you can change the camera address from your PC instead, then connect it to the Pi and run the 2nd script.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Final Steps =
== Sealing the Housing ==
[[File:sealedhousing.jpg|thumb|right|Sealing the Housing]]
Depending on your climate, its usually advisable to seal up the camera housing against rain and snow.

From the outside, carefully go round the edge of the glass with silicone sealant. Also squirt sealant into any screw holes visible on the front of the camera housing, where it will be most exposed to rain.

But DONT seal up the hinged door because you will occasionally need to maintain the camera, and you don't want to have to prise it open with a chisel!
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>
== Mounting Outside ==
Mount the camera somewhere with a good view of the sky and without too many 'terrestrial' obstructions such as trees, hills and buildings. Take special care to angle well away from security lights. These lights emit infrared and without the IR Block filter, the IMX cameras are extremely sensitive to this.

When locating the camera, bear in mind that you will need to be able to get to the camera to maintain it. The cameras do not need to be high up as long as they have a good view of the sky. Mine are at eye-level on my observatory shed.

As before, don't worry if its not practical to eliminate all obstructions as you can mask off any that can't be avoided.

=== Aiming the Camera ===
[[file:cameraview.jpg|thumb|right|Aiming the Camera]]
The cameras have a field of about 40-45 degrees vertically and 90 degrees horizontally so angle the camera upwards at between 35-45 degrees. This should maximise meteor detection.

If you can arrange so that the camera view overlaps with other RMS users, thats even better. Check with the network to get an idea of a good direction.

In this photo, the camera is aimed up at about 40 degrees, just above the top of the hill behind the camera location. The parts of the hill that are visible will be masked off in the software to avoid 'meteor-wrongs' due to dog-walkers with head torches!
</td></tr></table>

= Thats it! =
Once the camera is installed, connect up the PoE adapter, attach a long network cable and run it to wherever you are going to keep the Raspberry Pi. Remember to ask permission before drilling holes in the walls... :)

= Now install the Software =
Now you can finish configuring the Raspberry Pi by installing a prebuilt image. This is covered in a separate guide [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page#RMS_Software_Installation here].

Build A Camera

2021-08-05T05:11:46Z

TasmanSkies: Migrating parts list from Google Docs to Wiki for single-point-of-truth

= Parts and Tools needed =
[[File:01_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|Annotated Parts List]]

Click on the image to the right to see a larger version with the parts labelled

# IMX291 sensor board
# Lens with the lens holder - 4mm, 6mm are M16 mount as pictured, while other lenses might be CS which have a different holder
# 2x M2 screws
# Camera housing
# Small cable gland (supplied with the housing)
# Large cable gland (supplied with the housing)
# Camera Power over Ethernet (PoE) cable (sometimes called a network cable by the sellers)
# Camera board holder (supplied with the housing)
# Holder metal plate (supplied with the housing)
# 3x M2 screws, 12 mm long
# 1x M3-.50 screws, 6mm long
# Metal plate screws (supplied with the housing)
# Transparent weatherproof silicone
# Housing mounting bracket (supplied with the housing)
# Waterproof ethernet cable protector
# PoE injector to supply 48v to the camera (not shown)
# Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 2GB (or at least a 3B+ with 2GB) with official power supply (not shown)
# Raspberry Pi housing (not shown)
# 128 GB or greater microSD card (not shown)
# Self-amalgamating tape (not shown)

== Purchasing Parts ==
For consistency across the network and to make collaborative support possible, it is recommended that the components listed below are used in preference to random handy bits that are cobbled together. The selected components are proven and known to work well.

Some components are readily available in most locations, such as Raspberry Pi and microSD cards. For all other items, AliExpress is the preferred online source as it serves most of the globe and has been reliably suppling parts to date.

=== Sensor ===
The following bare IP security camera featuring a Sony IMX291 has been selected for the RMS system. Out of the options offered, choose "With 48V POE cable" and "No Lens". The cost is typically less than US$45 plus shipping.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002315913099.html IVG-HP203Y-AE]

=== Lens ===
A suitable lens can be obtained for less than US$20 plus shipping. The preferred lens is a 4mm f/0.95 M16 lens providing ~88x45° field of view:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32876034491.html 4mm f/0.95 M16]

In very light-polluted city skies, an alternative is the 8mm f/0.9 M16 lens which provides ~40x20° field of view:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32985863629.html 8mm f/0.95 M16]

Some stations have also successfully utilized the following 6mm lens with a ~55x30° field of view:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32875689463.html 6mm f/0.95 M16]

Also on the approved lens list is the following 16mm f/1.0 lens that provides only a limited 20x10° field of view:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32857028953.html 16mm f/1.0 CS]
Note that this lens also requires a special CS lens mount, not supplied with the lens:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32833667462.html CS lens mount]

=== Housing ===
A security camera housing is used, providing weather-tight protection without distortion introduced by plastic domes. From the options offered, select "Plate and Bracket" to get a plate for mounting a 38x38mm bare IP camera module, and an L-shaped mounting bracket. The housing should be available for less than US$35 plus shipping.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32355130687.html IP66 CCTV Camera Housing with Plate and Bracket] This will also provide a pair of cable glands and some essential screws.

=== Power Over Ethernet Injector ===
This connects by network cables to both the Raspberry Pi and the camera sensor, and injects 48V DC onto the network cable to the camera to supply it with power. Pick a suitable plug style for your location from the options offered. This unit should be available for less than US$10 plus shipping.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32787153455.html PoE Injector 48V 0.5A]

=== Cooled Housing for Raspberry Pi ===
This is one of the rare cases that fulfills our needs. It has a fan which is relatively quiet, it’s sturdy, and it can fit the RTC with the addition of riser pins. '''Please buy this case''', we have tried many others, but they are not as good. From the options offered, make sure you select one that says "for Pi 4" if you are using a Raspberry Pi 4, or "for Pi 3B Plus" if you are using a Raspbery Pi 3B+. Additionally there is a case variation that is fully enclosed and has no fans; do not select this option.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32959825297.html Raspberry Pi Aluminium Enclosure with fans]

=== Real Time Clock for Raspberry Pi ===
As very precise timing is essential to processing the meteor data, an RTC module ensure the Raspberry Pi always has the precise time, even when power or internet is unreliable. AliExpress sells a pack of 10 but they are inexpensive - maybe share the extras among other camera constructors in your area. A pack of 10 should cost just over US$20 plus shipping.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32770348851.html DS3231 RTC]

=== Pin Headers ===
Required to raise the height of the Raspberry GPIO bins to allow the RTC to sit proud of the Raspberry Pi case. You only need 1 but the pack of 20 is available for less than US$1 plus shipping.
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32549850046.html Tall header pins]

=== Network cabling ===
You will need two lengths of network cabling, one (probably quite short) between the Raspberry Pi and the PoE injector and the other between the PoE injector and the camera. You can purchase suitable lengths locally or on AliExpress. Some people have found the following thin flat network cable to be useful for sneaking the wire through a window or door to avoid drilling holes in walls or eaves, although it will require some extra attention to seal the cable at the camera's PoE connector:
* [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002311509668.html Cat6 Flat Ethernet Cable]

=== Waterproof Cable Connector ===
One end of the network cable will be outside, connected into the PoE cable from the camera. This is not only carrying data but 48V DC power and needs to be kept sealed. This waterproof connector is fitted over the end of the network cable connector then after the network cable is plugged into the camera's PoE cable, the connector is locked into the end of the PoE cable. For extra weatherproofing, wrap in self-amalgamating tape. A pack of 10 waterproof connector caps is less than US$10 plus shipping.
[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32834472563.html RJ45 Waterproof Connector Cap]

=== 128GB Micro SD Card ===
You need at least a 64GB card but a 128GB is recommended as 20+ GB of data is collected every night. Make sure it is a fast card eg Class 10 UHS-1 or better. A card can either be purchased locally or [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32676225311.html from AliExpress]. Be warned that there is an [https://photographylife.com/fake-memory-cards ongoing problem with the production and sale of fraudulent memory cards misreporting the available storage] and even supplies from a reputable outlet can be affected - test the card you purchase. The AliExpress link has been used successfully to obtain suitable micro SD cards.

=== Raspberry Pi 4 ===
These are likely to be available to be purchased locally or from a domestic online source. You need at least a 2GB RAM model. The Raspberry Pi Model 3B+ is the minimum specification, and a Raspberry Pi Model 4B is preferred. Purchase the official 5.1V 3A 15.3W power supply to go with it - most problems with Raspberry Pi units are due to inadequate power supplies being used instead of purchasing the official power pack. Note: to connect a RPi 4B to a monitor you will also need a micro-HDMI cable, so that might be necessary to add to the shopping cart also.

=== Additional items and tools ===
* If the camera lens does not arrive with two small screws to mount the lens to the camera, you will need to locate two suitable small screws.
* A tube of silicone sealant is used to seal the glass window for the housing and the front screws in the housing.
* Self-amalgamating tape can be used to wrap and seal the cable connector(s) to ensure they remain weathertight in all conditions.
* Tools such as small wire cutters or a sharp knife, various sized screwdrivers, a drill and screws to mount the camera bracket will be required.

Deprecated shopping list: [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XBSdrkwrOGPONIn5PBJ7YzH2vr7pUIxW3l8S62BQXEQ/edit LINK]

Some cameras come with a slightly different cable with a separate 12v socket for power input as shown [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/images/d/dc/Alternatecable.jpg here]. If you have this cable you will need a pair of PoE adapters (seen in that picture in the background). If your camera has a single cable as shown in the main picture, you will need a PoE injector or single adapter.

To test and focus the camera you will need VLC. This software is preinstalled on the Pi but is also available for Mac, Windows or Linux from [https://www.videolan.org/vlc/ here].

= Assembly =
[Note: there's a longer version of the camera assembly section of this page available on Google Docs. Please refer to [https://docs.google.com/document/d/18TT-Jm7z9kYskl5ua07jQWD91OiyBemBnOosiNdW6nY/edit?usp=sharing this] if you need more information.]

<table><tr><td>
== Preparing the Lens ==
[[File:Irblock.jpg|thumb|right|Punching out the filter]]
* Start by removing protective covers from the sensor and lens. Take care not to touch the sensor after this is removed.

* The cameras come with an IR Block filter in the lens holder. We don't want this.
* If you have a lens like the one shown, unscrew the lens from the holder and using a screwdriver, carefully punch out the filter from the front as shown in the image on the right. If it shatters, make sure there are no shards left.

* Some lenses come with two filters, one for day and one for night. You'll be able to tell because the lens holder will have a small cable to plug into the camera board. If your lens is like this DO NOT try to punch out the filter. Instead remove the cover from the lens holder and carefully remove the clear filter. You can leave the other, reddish, daylight filter.

* Next look on the underside of the lens holder where you will see two plastic nubbins. These get in the way, so using the wire cutters snip them off. Make sure you get the base completely flat.

* Then screw the lens back into the lens holder.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Attaching the Lens to the Camera ==
[[File:lensattaching.jpg|thumb|right|Attaching the Lens]]

* Carefully unclip the circuit board from the plastic holder but do not detach the ribbon cable.

* Using the supplied screws, attach the lens to the sensor.

* Replace the circuit board in the plastic holder.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Preparing the Camera Housing =
[[File:glands.jpg|thumb|right|Glands in Place]]
* Fit the small cable gland to the housing and pass the loose ends of the Camera PoE cable up through, but don't tighten it up yet. Remember to slip the cap over the cable first!

* Fit the large cable gland in the other opening, and push a piece of plastic packing foam into it. Don't seal it up completely though this is to keep insects from getting in, but allow moisture out.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>
== Attaching the Camera ==
[[File:camerafitted.jpg|thumb|right|Camera In Mount]]

* Connect the metal camera holder to the metal plate using one 6mm M3 screw. Note the orientation of the plate as shown in the photo.

* Using three 12 mm M2 screws, connect the camera board to the metal holder passing the lens through the square hole from the back.

* Note that the writing on the camera board must be UPSIDE DOWN to get the correct orientation of the camera. In this orientation, the sockets for power and networking will be at the bottom of the rear of the camera board.

* Finally, remove the plastic cap on the lens.
See image for the proper camera board orientation, so the video is not sideways or upside down.
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Installing the Camera in the Housing ==
[[File:camerainhousing.jpg|thumb|right|Camera In Housing]]

* Remove the plastic plate from inside the housing and discard it.

* Fit the camera on its metal plate into the housing, as close to the front glass as you can get it without actually touching. A few millimetres away should be good.

* Looking at the camera from the rear, attach the largest connector (often with blue/green wires) to the right hand socket.

* Attach the power connector to the left hand socket. This connector has several pins but only two are connected (red/black).

* The third connector (two pins, red/black) is for a powered lens and is not used so tape it back out of the way.

* Once you've secured the camera in position, you can tighten up the cable glands.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Testing and Focusing =
At this point, your camera must be tested and focused. There's no point sealing up the housing and screwing it to the wall if its not working or isn't focused !

== Testing the Camera ==
* If your camera came with a single PoE cable, connect this to a netork cable and plug the other end of the network cable into your PoE injector.

* if your camera came with a cable with separate network and power sockets, plug the "output" PoE adapter into the camera cable and plug a network cable into the PoE adapter, then connect the other end of the network cable into the other PoE adapter.
*. Connect the PoE adapter or injector into a spare socket on your home router and connect the camera power supply to it.

The Camera PoE cable lights should come on, indicating traffic is flowing. After a few seconds, it should steady down to irregular flashing. If you don't see flashing lights then check the cable connections to make sure everything is plugged in properly.

=== Find its IP Address ===
[[File:ip-scan.jpg|thumb|right|Finding the Camera Address]]
The camera should now appear as a device on your network and to test it properly you will need to find its IP Address. The easiest way to do this is using a free piece of software called [[https://www.advanced-ip-scanner.com/|Advanced IP Scanner]]. Download and run it (no need to install). Click "Scan" and wait till it finishes. The camera can be identified by Manufacturer 'ICP Internet Communications' or 'Motion Control Systems' (see screenshot - i have five cameras!).

=== Checking the Connection ===
[[File:vlcconfig.jpg|thumb|right|VLC Network Stream]]
* Once you have the IP Address, open VLC on your Pi, Mac or Windows machine, and from the "Media" menu, select "Open Network Stream".

* Enter the following into the address box, replacing '''1.2.3.4''' with the address you got in the previous step

<blockquote>rtsp://'''1.2.3.4''':554/user=admin&password=&channel=1&stream=0.sdp</blockquote>

* After a second or two, you should get a view through the camera. If nothing comes up, check you have got the right IP address, and that the cables are secure.

* You can now double-check that you installed the camera the right way up...

* Note that its entirely normal for the image to be very red and overexposed in daylight. We've removed the IR Block filter, so the camera picks up a lot of red light. This is exactly what we want.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Checking for Obstructions ==
[[File:vlcview.jpg|thumb|right|Obstructions]]
* You should also close the housing case up and check if it can be seen obstructing the view anywhere.

* Move the camera around on the mount to minimise the obstructions, and if necessary bend or tilt the bracket to angle the camera down a bit.

* However, don't worry if you can't eliminate all obstructions. Later on you will create a software mask to prevent these areas causing false detections.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Focusing the Camera ==

There's a whole separate section of the Wiki on [[Focusing_your_camera|focusing]], but here's the short version !!
* connect the camera to your network as above.
* Open VLC.
* Aim the camera at something at around 30-50 metres away.
* Screw the lens in and out slowly to get best focus.

Note that there's a short lag due to the network, so you should wait a second or two after each adjustment to allow the change to be reflected in VLC.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

== Setting Camera Parameters ==
To operate at night, the camera must be reset to the correct gain, colour mode and video mode. There are two ways you can do this:

=== Using the CMS Software ===
CMS is a security camera software package you can [https://learncctv.com/download-cms-software/ download] from the internet. You can use the CMS software as explained in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2sq1hBwcAA this] video by Denis Vida.
Note however that you should reset the network as the LAST thing you do. The video does it a bit soon.

=== Using the RMS software (currently experimental and only for Pi4 systems) ===
[[File:Ping-camera.JPG|thumb|right|Making sure the Pi can see the Camera]]

<span style="color:red">'' NB: this relies on code still being tested - contact us via the groups.io forum if you want to try this method''</span>
* Install RMS on a Pi as explained [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page#RMS_Software_Installation here].

* Open a Terminal window on the Pi and, using the address of your camera, first make sure the Pi can ping the camera:
<pre>ping a.b.c.d</pre>

* Run this script to reset the camera IP address. You will lose connection to the camera and see a bunch of error messages. Thats normal.
<pre> python Utils.SetCameraAddress a.b.c.d 192.168.42.10</pre>

* Now plug the camera directly into the Pi's ethernet port and run the following script to update the camera gain, video mode, and other settings.
[[File:Setting-camer-params.JPG|thumb|right|Setting Camera Params]]
<pre>Scripts/RMS_SetCameraParams.sh</pre>

* Note: If you have RMS installed on your PC, you can change the camera address from your PC instead, then connect it to the Pi and run the 2nd script.

</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>

= Final Steps =
== Sealing the Housing ==
[[File:sealedhousing.jpg|thumb|right|Sealing the Housing]]
Depending on your climate, its usually advisable to seal up the camera housing against rain and snow.

From the outside, carefully go round the edge of the glass with silicone sealant. Also squirt sealant into any screw holes visible on the front of the camera housing, where it will be most exposed to rain.

But DONT seal up the hinged door because you will occasionally need to maintain the camera, and you don't want to have to prise it open with a chisel!
</td></tr></table>

<table><tr><td>
== Mounting Outside ==
Mount the camera somewhere with a good view of the sky and without too many 'terrestrial' obstructions such as trees, hills and buildings. Take special care to angle well away from security lights. These lights emit infrared and without the IR Block filter, the IMX cameras are extremely sensitive to this.

When locating the camera, bear in mind that you will need to be able to get to the camera to maintain it. The cameras do not need to be high up as long as they have a good view of the sky. Mine are at eye-level on my observatory shed.

As before, don't worry if its not practical to eliminate all obstructions as you can mask off any that can't be avoided.

=== Aiming the Camera ===
[[file:cameraview.jpg|thumb|right|Aiming the Camera]]
The cameras have a field of about 40-45 degrees vertically and 90 degrees horizontally so angle the camera upwards at between 35-45 degrees. This should maximise meteor detection.

If you can arrange so that the camera view overlaps with other RMS users, thats even better. Check with the network to get an idea of a good direction.

In this photo, the camera is aimed up at about 40 degrees, just above the top of the hill behind the camera location. The parts of the hill that are visible will be masked off in the software to avoid 'meteor-wrongs' due to dog-walkers with head torches!
</td></tr></table>

= Thats it! =
Once the camera is installed, connect up the PoE adapter, attach a long network cable and run it to wherever you are going to keep the Raspberry Pi. Remember to ask permission before drilling holes in the walls... :)

= Now install the Software =
Now you can finish configuring the Raspberry Pi by installing a prebuilt image. This is covered in a separate guide [https://globalmeteornetwork.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page#RMS_Software_Installation here].